oop - PHP Child class accessing Parent variable problem

Question

I got this class:

Class Username {
protected $id;
protected $username;
protected $contact_information;

     private __construct($id) {
       $this->id = (int) $id; // Forces it to be a string
       $contact_information = new ContactInformation($this->id);
     }
}

Class ContactInformation extends Username {
    protected $mobile;
    protected $email;
    protected $nextel_id;
    .....
}

My problem is: I want to access the $id and $username (and lots of other variables) on ContactInformation, but parent:: or $this-> does NOT work, looks like everytime i do "new ContactInformation....) PHP creates a "new Username". Any chance to access the CURRENT values from Username?

Thanks

Answer 1

Why is the Username constructor private? If you mean to make it impossible to create a Username, make the Username class abstract. Also, do NOT make a new contact information from the parent class. Here's another way to put it:

abstract class Username {
   protected $id;
   protected $username;

   public __construct($id) {
      $this->id = (int) $id; // Forces it to be a string
   }
}

class ContactInformation extends Username {
    protected $mobile;
    protected $email;
    protected $nextel_id;
    public __construct($id, $mobile, $email, $nextel_id) {
       parent::__construct($id)
       $this->mobile = $mobile;
       ....
    }
}

Now, instead of instantiating the Username directly (which is now impossible), you instead create a ContactInformation. ContactInformation then calls the Username constructor in its own constructor.