PHP how set default value to a variable in the class?

Question

class A{
    public $name;

    public function __construct() {
      $this->name = 'first';
    }

    public function test1(){
        if(!empty($_POST["name"]))
        {
            $name = 'second';
        }
        echo $name;
    }

$f = new A;
$f->test1();

Why don't we get first and how set right default value variable $name only for class A?

I would be grateful for any help.

Answer 1

You can use a constructor to set the initial values (or pretty much do anything for that matter) as you need to like this:

class example
{

    public $name;

    public function __construct()
    {
        $this->name="first";
    }

}

Then you can use these default values in your other functions.

class example
{

    public $name;

    public function __construct()
    {
        $this->name="first";
    }

    public function test1($inputName)
    {
        if(!empty($inputName))
        {
            $this->name=$inputName;
        }
        echo "The name is ".$this->name."\r\n";
    }

}

$ex=new example();
$ex->test1(" "); // prints first.
$ex->test1("Bobby"); // prints Bobby
$ex->test1($_POST["name"]); // works as you expected it to.