PHP | ReflectionMethod export() Function

The ReflectionMethod::export() function is an inbuilt function in PHP which is used to return the export as a string if the return parameter has been set to TRUE, otherwise NULL is returned. Syntax:

string ReflectionMethod::export ( $class, $name, $return )

Parameters: This function accepts three parameters as mentioned above and described below:

• class: This is the name of the initialized class.
• name: This is the name of the method.
• return: It’s value is either TRUE or FALSE. Using TRUE will return the export whereas using FALSE will do the opposite.

Return Value: This function returns the export as a string if the return parameter has been set to TRUE, otherwise NULL is returned. Below programs illustrate the ReflectionMethod::export() function in PHP: Program_1:

php

<?php

// Initializing a user-defined class
class Company {

    protected function GeeksforGeeks($name) {
        return 'GFG' . $name;
    }
}

// Using ReflectionMethod() over the class Company
$A = new ReflectionMethod(new Company(), 'GeeksforGeeks');

// Calling the export() function
$B = $A->export( 'Company', 'GeeksforGeeks', $return = TRUE );

// Getting the export as a string if the
// return parameter has been set to TRUE,
// otherwise NULL is returned.
var_dump($B);
?>

Output:

string(171) "Method [ <user> protected method GeeksforGeeks ] {
  @@ /home/cd1a603457d3beda20350155354b4363.php 6 - 8

  - Parameters [1] {
    Parameter #0 [ <required> $name ]
  }
}
"

Program_2:

php

<?php

// Initializing some user-defined classes
class Department1 {

    protected function HR($name) {
        return 'hr' . $name;
    }
}
class Department2 {

    protected function Coding($name) {
        return 'coding' . $name;
    }
}
class Department3 {

    protected function Marketing($name) {
        return 'marketing' . $name;
    }
}

// Using ReflectionMethod() over the above classes
$A = new ReflectionMethod(new Department1(), 'HR');
$B = new ReflectionMethod(new Department2(), 'Coding');
$C = new ReflectionMethod(new Department3(), 'Marketing');

// Calling the export() function and
// Getting the export as a string if the
// return parameter has been set to TRUE,
// otherwise NULL is returned.
var_dump($A->export( 'Department1', 'HR', $return = TRUE ));
var_dump($B->export( 'Department2', 'Coding', $return = FALSE ));
var_dump($C->export( 'Department3', 'Marketing', $return = FALSE ));
?>

Output:

string(160) "Method [ <user> protected method HR ] {
  @@ /home/b1fa43e2f382f32d60abd4370db4a4f6.php 6 - 8

  - Parameters [1] {
    Parameter #0 [ <required> $name ]
  }
}
"
Method [ <user> protected method Coding ] {
  @@ /home/b1fa43e2f382f32d60abd4370db4a4f6.php 12 - 14

  - Parameters [1] {
    Parameter #0 [ <required> $name ]
  }
}

NULL
Method [ <user> protected method Marketing ] {
  @@ /home/b1fa43e2f382f32d60abd4370db4a4f6.php 18 - 20

  - Parameters [1] {
    Parameter #0 [ <required> $name ]
  }
}

NULL

Reference: https://www.php.net/manual/en/reflectionmethod.export.php