# Extending

If you want to create specialized versions of the built-in classes (say, for creating colorized HTML when being exported, having easy-access member variables instead of methods or having utility methods), you may go ahead and extend them.

## Extending the built-in classes

    <?php
    /**
     * My Reflection_Method class
     */
    class My_Reflection_Method extends ReflectionMethod
    {
        public $visibility = array();

        public function __construct($o, $m)
        {
            parent::__construct($o, $m);
            $this->visibility = Reflection::getModifierNames($this->getModifiers());
        }
    }

    /**
     * Demo class #1
     *
     */
    class T {
        protected function x() {}
    }

    /**
     * Demo class #2
     *
     */
    class U extends T {
        function x() {}
    }

    // Print out information
    var_dump(new My_Reflection_Method('U', 'x'));
    ?>

&example.outputs.similar;

    object(My_Reflection_Method)#1 (3) {
      ["visibility"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(6) "public"
      }
      ["name"]=>
      string(1) "x"
      ["class"]=>
      string(1) "U"
    }

If you're overwriting the constructor, remember to call the parent's constructor before any code you insert. Failing to do so will result in the following: `Fatal error: Internal error: Failed to retrieve the reflection object`