Type Casting between Basic Data

If you want to do not only typecasting between basic data types but between classes, try this function. It converts any class into another. All variables that equal name in both classes will be copied.

function typecast($old_object, $new_classname) {
if(class_exists($new_classname)) {
$old_serialized_object = serialize($old_object);
$new_serialized_object = 'O:' . strlen($new_classname) . ':"' . $new_classname . '":' .
substr($old_serialized_object, $old_serialized_object[2] + 7);
return unserialize($new_serialized_object);
}
else
return false;
}

Example:

class A {
var $secret;
function A($secret) {$this->secret = $secret;}
function output() {echo("Secret class A: " . $this->secret);}
}

class B extends A {
var $secret;
function output() {echo("Secret class B: " . strrev($this->secret));}
}

$a = new A("Paranoia");
$b = typecast($a, "B");

$a->output();
$b->output();
echo("Classname \$a: " . get_class($a) . "Classname \$b: " . get_class($b));

Output of the example code above:

Secret class A: Paranoia
Secret class B: aionaraP
Classname $a: a
Classname $b: b