Codecaine.co.za - Bite-size ZF: Module-specific models

Taco

Aug 6, 2008 6:21:23 PM

[ed. to display code correctly] I personally feel more for an controller action helper to load the models. I'm using the following action helper for loading my config files, but it can be easily extended to load anything:

pluginLoader = new Zend_Loader_PluginLoader();
    }

    /**
     * Load a configuration file.
     * 
     * @param  string $name 
     * @return Zend_Config_Xml
     */
    public function loadConfig($name)
    {
        $module  = $this->getRequest()->getModuleName();
        $controller = $this->getRequest()->getControllerName();
        $front   = $this->getFrontController();
        $default = $front->getDispatcher()
                         ->getDefaultModule();
                         
        if (empty($module)) {
            $module = $default;
        }
        
        $moduleDirectory = $front->getControllerDirectory($module);
        $configDirectory  = dirname($moduleDirectory) . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'config' . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $controller . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;

        return new Zend_Config_Xml($configDirectory . $name . '.xml');          
    }

    /**
     * Call helper as broker method
     * 
     * @param  string $name 
     * @return Zend_Config_Xml
     */
    public function direct($name)
    {
        return $this->loadConfig($name);
    }
}

Neil Garb

Jul 23, 2008 7:06:07 AM

@Amir: thanks for pointing that thread out. It's a little difficult to follow in Nabble, but I think it does cover the issues alan and I have been discussing. Re: phpDoctrine: I've had no issues with Zend_Db and I don't think that the choice of DAL code affects this particular discussion, but I'd love to hear why phpDoctrine makes your life easier (I know some other people that are using it).

AmirBehzad Eslami

Jul 23, 2008 1:29:54 AM

By the way, I've switched to use phpDoctrine instead of Zend_DB; and it really made my life easier.

AmirBehzad Eslami

Jul 23, 2008 1:27:15 AM

Take a look at the following discussion in ZF mailing list: http://www.nabble.com/Shared-Models-in-Different-Modules-td14117646.html

Neil Garb

Jul 20, 2008 11:19:49 AM

@alan sure: if ever there was an argument for not extending Zend_Db_Table for models that is it.

alan

Jul 20, 2008 11:17:04 AM

One more thing. In factory You can always prepare your object. In Agavi, U can force loadModel() to return Singleton of model (by AgaviModel implements AgaviSingletonModel). I often use that to get some data in routing (like dynamic routes we were talking before) - after this sigleton model has some data already in it (without quering the database, web service etc).

alan

Jul 20, 2008 11:10:26 AM

"But I'm not seeing the value that the factory pattern is adding (especially not to his argument)." Well, thanks that, u are completly free of directory layout. U can rewrite loadModel if it changes. Or maybe write Zendish plugin system for that :) "@alan Mike Seth (I assume that's the author's name) makes a good point. I suppose the equivalent lesson for ZF is that models shouldn't subclass Zend_Db_Table_Abstract." yep, that is right - in my projects (based on Agavi) I use Propel as my ORM, but never directly in controller - always IN Model objects (but not proxy!). So, at first I generate propel classess, build the site and when its necessary I rewrite some model methods to use even native drivers (eg mysql_*) which is huge performance kick :)

Neil Garb

Jul 20, 2008 10:49:24 AM

@alan Mike Seth (I assume that's the author's name) makes a good point. I suppose the equivalent lesson for ZF is that models shouldn't subclass Zend_Db_Table_Abstract. But I'm not seeing the value that the factory pattern is adding (especially not to his argument).

LBO

Jul 20, 2008 10:41:26 AM

"This requires knowledge of your modules in your bootstrap, and I don't particularly like that idea." Thats why you should use factory, something like Controller->loadModel($name, $module = null); read this: http://blog.mikeseth.com/index.php?/archives/4-ActiveRecord-sucks,-but-Kore-Nordmann-is-wrong.html

Neil Garb

Jul 20, 2008 10:28:48 AM

@alan Thanks for your comments. You could name your module-specific models mutually exlusively, but you still have to include module model paths in your include path. This requires knowledge of your modules in your bootstrap, and I don't particularly like that idea. You're 100% correct about code hinting -- have gotten into trouble here before :) -- but there are ways to mitigate that risk, e.g. using phpdoc tags.