php - Is php caching classes before creation? - symfony

Question

Background Information:
I'm using Symfony Console Component to write a console application that is wrapped into a Shell object. I wrote a command named console:reload that empties the array of commands from the Application object, and re-adds commands classes listed under certain directory.
This command is run when the shell starts, so, the Application is loaded with the available commands. The classes being loaded are located in a special directory and should follow a simple name rule: <CommandName>Command.php:
// Inside ReloadCommand->execute() method...
$pamperoApp = $this->getApplication();
$pamperoApp->clearCommands();
$namespace = "pampero\\cli\\modules";
foreach(glob(MODULES_DIR . "/*/*Command.php") as $command) {
$class = str_replace(".php", "", $namespace . "\\" . basename(dirname($command)) . "\\" . basename($command));
$this->getApplication()->add(new $class);
}
The autoload provided by Symfony (Composer?) ClassLoader is used:
// Main entry point...
loader = require_once __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
$loader->set('pampero', __DIR__ . '/../..');
I read the code from ClassLoader class and what it does is to store file name path, so no object caching there.
Here's the problem:
I launch the app: php packages.php. The shell appears after ReloadCommand command being executed. A list of available and loaded commands are ready to be used.
If I create a new file, let's say: ExampleCommand.php, and then I type: console:reload, the new command will indeed be added. Now, If I modify the code inside ExampleCommand.php and run console:reload again, the changes made to the class won't take effect.
But that's not all. If I remove the example file, call console:reload, create the file again and run: console:reload the command will be added.
Reading:
I have read APC related things, and before creating new classes I have done things like:
// Prior adding commands in ReloadCommand
apc_clear_cache();
apc_clear_cache('user');
apc_clear_cache('opcode');
Without luck. I've also run apc.php and enabled/disabled apc.enable_cli option. None of those things creates the object represented by the modified file.
So my hints and clues about the problems turns to be classes caching when a file/class is found. But how to avoid that for this special case? I don't want to restart the shell if some extra funcionality is added through classes.
Any ideas?

Answer 1

I will answer my own question as I found a solution.
Ok, clues were fine. The problem was that PHP including a file binds the symbols for later use while parsing the file.
So, I needed some kind of instrospection. After reading/googling/searching for all night, finally I've ended up finding Runkit.
Runkit documentation can be found here. I know that is not the best thing you can do with your code design. But for my project needs, the truth is that Reflection was needed.
Here is the modified code using Runkit:
protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
{
// Gets a reference to the console application and removes all commands
$pamperoApp = $this->getApplication();
$pamperoApp->clearCommands();
// Adds default commands and add this command
$pamperoApp->addCommands($pamperoApp->getDefaultCommands());
$pamperoApp->add($this);
$namespace = "pampero\\cli\\modules";
foreach(glob(MODULES_DIR . "/*/*Command.php") as $filename) {
$className = str_replace(".php", "", $namespace . "\\" . basename(dirname($filename)) . "\\" . basename($filename));
// Do not add this command again. This command shouldn't be modified on-the-fly
if (get_class($this) !== $className) {
$class = new $className();
// Redefines the class definition
runkit_import($filename, RUNKIT_IMPORT_CLASSES | RUNKIT_OVERRIDE_OBJECTS | RUNKIT_IMPORT_OVERRIDE);
$pamperoApp->add($class);
}
}
}