How to check if a function is public or protected in PHP

Question

I am building an API where the user requests a 'command', which is passed into a class. Assuming the command matches a PUBLIC function, it will execute successfully. If the command matches a PROTECTED function, it needs to throw an error.

The idea is that functions can be disabled by changing them from PUBLIC to PROTECTED, rather than renaming them or removing them.

I currently do this, but it doesn't matter if the command is public or protected.

<?php /**  * Look for Command method  */ $sMethod = "{$sCommand}Command"; if (method_exists($this, $sMethod)) {     /**      * Run the command      */     return $this->$sMethod($aParameters); } 

Answer 1

Simply use ReflectionMethod:

/**  * Look for Command method  */ if (method_exists($this, $sMethod)) {     $reflection = new ReflectionMethod($this, $sMethod);     if (!$reflection->isPublic()) {         throw new RuntimeException("The called method is not public.");     }     /**      * Run the command      */     return $this->$sMethod($aParameters); }