Custom attributes serialization and access

[leightonshank]

Updated the ActiveRecord\Serialization method check_methods() so that it will check for a getter method with the name of the method passed. This way, custom attributes defined as getter methods, e.g. get_full_name() can be passed directly to a serialization method in the methods option.

Example:

<?php
class Person extends ActiveRecord\Model {
    function get_full_name() {
        return "{$this->first_name} {$this->last_name}";
    }
}

$person = Person::find(1);
$person->to_json(array("methods" => "full_name"));

# {"first_name":"John", "last_name":"Smith", "full_name": "John Smith"}

In the same vein, updated the ActiveRecord\Model __get() magic method so that custom attributes can be accessed through a method of the same name. For example, if I have a method in my model named initials() then that method can be accessed as a property or a method. If the method takes arguments, then calling as a property is the same as calling with no arguments (using defaults). If the method requires arguments, then obviously it cannot be called as a property.

Example:

<?php
class Person extends ActiveRecord\Model{
    function initials($punctuate=false) {
        return $punctuate
            ? $this->first_name[0] . "." . $this->last_name[1] . "."
            : $this->first_name[0] . $this->last_name[1];
    }
}

$person = Person::find(1);
print $person->initials;     # JS
print $person->initials();  # JS
print $person->initials(true);  # J.S.

[koenpunt]

+1

[tuupola]

+1

[koenpunt]

Closing in favor of #431