parent::parent in PHP

I search a way to access to the parent, parent function of a class without to call the parent... Hmmm, that sound a bit weird explanation so i will give an example:

class myclass
{
  public function test() { return 'level 1'; }
}
class myclass2 extends myclass
{
  public function test() { return parent::test() . '-level 2'; }
}
class myclass3 extends myclass2
{
  public function test() { return parent::test() . '-level 3'; }
}
$example = new myclass3();
echo $example->test(); // should display "level 1-level 2-level 3"

I would like to display "level 1-level 3" then doing something like that:

class myclass3 extends myclass2
{
  public function test() { return parent::parent::test() . '-level 3'; }
}

Do you have an idea how I can do this? (I am not allow to edit myclass and myclass2, they are part of a framework...)

Simple solution. Use the root object myclass directly:

class myclass3 extends myclass2
{
  public function test() { return myclass::test() . '-level 3'; }
}

If you need a more general approach have a look at outis answer.

You could do it using get_parent_class

function get_grandparent_class($thing) {
    if (is_object($thing)) {
        $thing = get_class($thing);
    }
    return get_parent_class(get_parent_class($thing));
}

class myclass3 extends myclass2 {
    public function test() {
      $grandparent = get_grandparent_class($this);
      return $grandparent::test() . '-level 3'; 
    }
}

Or you could use reflection:

function get_grandparent_class($thing) {
    if (is_object($thing)) {
        $thing = get_class($thing);
    }
    $class = new ReflectionClass($thing);
    return $class->getParentClass()->getParentClass()->getName();
}

However, it may not be a good idea, depending on what you're trying to achieve.

No, this is not possible. Unfortunately there is no possibility to refer directly to the original class, only to it's self or to it's parent.

Maybe you can just add myclass2 as a member object in myclass3 and try to code like :

class myclass3{
myclass2 obj2;
public function test() { return $obj2->callParentTest() . '-level3';}
}

You cannot chain parents, instead create some sort of GetParent() method in your parent classes that simply returns $this;

if you want use the test function directly on class1 you must extend from class1. Please search about polimorphism.

will you try "parent::parent::parent::parent" when you have class5 ??

I think you can add a level parameter to test method. and check it first.

<?php
    class myclass
    {
        public function test($level) 
        { 
            return 'level 1'; 
        }
    }
    class myclass2 extends myclass
    {
        public function test($level) 
        { 
            
            return $level >= 2 ? parent::test($level) . '-level 2' : parent::test($level); 
        }
    }
    class myclass3 extends myclass2
    {
        public function test() 
        { 
            return parent::test(1) . '-level 3';
        }
    }
    $example = new myclass3();
    echo $example->test(); // should display "level 1-level 3"

There is no operator to get the root object. I would do something like this:

class myclass
{
  public function getRoot() { return __CLASS__; }
  public function test() { return 'level 1'; }
}
class myclass2 extends myclass
{
  public function getRoot() { return parent::getRoot(); }
}
class myclass3 extends myclass2
{
  public function getRoot() { return parent::getRoot(); }
  public function test() {
    $grandparent = self::getRoot();
    return $grandparent::test() . '-level 3';
  }
}
$example = new myclass3();
echo $example->test(); // should display "level 1-level 2-level 3"

In some situations, probably you can entirely override the root's method. I mean, instead of calling the parent's parent's one, you can copy the parent's parent's method code and add yours.

my approach: if you have the code:

class A {
	protected function method () {
		var_dump('A -> method');
	}
}

class B extends A {
	protected function method () {
		var_dump('B -> method');
	}
}

class C extends B {
	protected function method () {
		var_dump('C -> method');
	}
}

and you want in class C call method from class A (but not class B) refactor it to the code:

<?php

class A {
	protected function method () {
		$this->methodA();
	}

	protected function methodA () {
		var_dump('A -> method');
	}
}

class B extends A {
	protected function method () {
		var_dump('B -> method');
	}
}

class C extends B {
	protected function method () {
		$this->methodA();
	}
}