Call an overriden function from an Abstract class

Question

I'm creating a new module for allowing me to work with currency exchanges. For doing this I'm extending this class:

Mage_Directory_Model_Currency_Import_Abstract 

Overriding this method:

abstract protected function _convert($currencyFrom, $currencyTo);

Now that my module is installed, I don't know how I can call this method from my checkout classes. I want to convert some prices.

I could call it using:

Mage::getModel('my_currencyconverter/my_model')->_convert('USD', 'EUR');

But I had to change first that previous function visibility, from protected to public.

How do I use this new function?

Answer 1

If you need to use the method outside the object it must be a public function not a protected as started in the abstract class.

But when you are extending a class with abstract methods it means you have to define them yourself them yourself.

If you have decleared it however, define a public function that can call the code

public function convert($from, to)
{
    return $this->_convert($from, $to);
}

And then call the method convert on your object.

Answer 2

Create in your model a public method that's a wrapper for the protected one.

public function convert($from, $to)
{
    return $this->_convert($from, $to);
}

Then call the convert method on your code:

Mage::getModel('my_currencyconverter/my_model')->convert('USD', 'EUR');