Scope Resolution Operator (paamayim nekudotayim), in object context?

Hi Henrique,

When you do $obj::$prop you're not accessing the static property through the object. The scope resolution operator is referring to the class that the object was instantiated from. So you're still accessing the static property through the class.

Each instantiation of the class does not get it's own copy of $prop, but rather $prop belongs to the class and all objects of the class share it.

Consider the following code example:

<?php 
class A {
    public static $prop = 1;
    public $prop2 = 2;
    public static function getStaticProp() {
        return self::$prop;
    }
}
$obj = new A();
echo A::$prop . '<br>'; //Outputs 1
echo $obj::$prop . '<br>'; // Outputs 1
echo $obj->prop . '<br>'; // Issues Notice about undefined property
echo $obj->getStaticProp() . '<br>'; // Outputs 1
echo $obj->prop2 . '<br>'; // Outputs 2
?>

Notice that $prop2 can be accessed through the object but $prop can't because it's static. I believe it's that 3rd echo that the php manual is saying you can't do.

From http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.static.php

A property declared as static cannot be accessed with an instantiated class object (though a static method can).

I think it further clarifies that a few paragraphs down:

Static properties cannot be accessed through the object using the arrow operator ->.

Looking at the 4th echo you can see that a static method can be accessed through the object. The static property is still retrieved through the class using the scope resolution operator and the self keyword since it's within the class.