how to get view object in a plugin? - zend-framework

I have a controller action helper where i save a user object into the view (in an init function) like this:
Zend_Layout::getMvcInstance()->getView()->user = $user;
I'd like to access the object in a preDispatch method of a controller plugin so I don't have to look up the user in the database. I tried doing so like this:
$user = Zend_Layout::getMvcInstance()->getView()->user;
But it's returning a null object. I'm hoping its because I'm doing this wrong and not because I've programmed a catch 22 inside my login logic. Is there another way to access the object?

I think putting the following methods into your action helper may help you here.
private $user
public function init()
{
$this->user = new user();
}
public function preDispatch()
{
$user = $this->user;
//Do whatever you wish with the user object.
// although you probably don't need to do anything.
}
public function direct()
{
Zend_Layout::getMvcInstance()->getView()->user = $this->user;
//alternatively just return the user object or whatever you want to do
}
Then once your helper is registered you can simply do $this->_helper->helperName() in your controller to put the user object into the view.
Mathew WeirO'Phiney has a good explanation of action helpers on devzone. Especially the purpose of the direct() method.

Yes, good approach is to have a singleton class for current logged in user; in such a case it will be accessible anywhere - plugins, views, forms.

Related

Is splitting an index action into multiple ones a restful-friendly approach?

I need to display two different index pages to two different user groups. For example, a regular user should see one page, and a privileged user - another one. I see two ways of approaching this issue:
One index action with conditionals:
public function index()
{
// view for privileged users
if(request()->user()->hasRole('privileged')){
return view('index_privileged');
}
// view for regular users
if(request()->user()->hasRole('regular')){
return view('index_regular');
}
return redirect('/');
}
Multiple actions:
public function index_privileged()
{
return view('index_privileged');
}
public function index_regular()
{
return view('index_regular');
}
Which approach is more "restful-friendly" and generally better?
I'm a big fan of light controllers. This might be a little overboard for a simple problem but if something like this pops up again, you'd already have everything all setup.
With that said, it might be best to create a PrivilegedUser class and a RegularUser class and give them both an index method which returns their respective views. Code them both to an interface UserInterface and make sure they both implement that.
Here is what those looked like in my test.
class RegularUser implements UserInterface
{
public function index()
{
return view('index_regular');
}
}
class PrivilegedUser implements UserInterface
{
public function index()
{
return view('index_privileged');
}
}
interface UserInterface
{
public function index();
}
Then you can add a listener which should run for the event Illuminate\Auth\Events\Login. Laravel will fire this event for you automatically when someone logs in. This goes into the file EventServiceProvider.php.
protected $listen = [
'Illuminate\Auth\Events\Login' => [
'App\Listeners\AuthLoginListener',
],
];
Now you can run php artisan event:generate to generate the new listener. Here is what my listener looks like, it should work for you.
namespace App\Listeners;
use Illuminate\Auth\Events\Login;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Application;
class AuthLoginListener
{
/**
* Create the event listener.
*
* #param Application $app
*/
public function __construct(Application $app)
{
$this->app = $app;
}
/**
* Handle the event.
*
* #param Login $event
* #return void
*/
public function handle(Login $event)
{
if ($event->user->hasRole('privileged')) {
$this->app->bind('App\Repositories\UserInterface', 'App\Repositories\PrivilegedUser');
} else if ($event->user->hasRole('regular')) {
$this->app->bind('App\Repositories\UserInterface', 'App\Repositories\RegularUser');
}
}
}
Essentially what this is doing is telling Laravel to load up a certain class based on the type of user that just logged in. The User instance is available through the Login object which was automatically passed in by Laravel.
Now that everything is setup, we barely have to do anything in our controller and if you need to do more things that are different depending on the user, just add them to the RegularUser or PrivilegedUser class. If you get more types of users, simply write a new class for them that implements the interface, add an additional else if to your AuthLoginListener and you should be good to go.
To use this, in your controller, you'd do something like the following...
// Have Laravel make our user class
$userRepository = App::make('App\Repositories\UserInterface');
return $userRepository->index()->with('someData', $data);
Or even better, inject it as a dependency.
use App\Repositories\UserInterface;
class YourController extends Controller
{
public function index(UserInterface $user)
{
return $user->index();
}
}
Edit:
I just realized I forgot the part where you wanted to return redirect('/'); if no condition was met. You could create a new class GuestUser (I know this sounds like an oxymoron) which implements UserInterface but instead of using the AuthLoginListener, I'd bind it in a service provider when Laravel boots. This way Laravel will always have something to return when it needs an implementation of UserInterface in the event it needs this class if no one is logged in.
Well, its more like a refactoring "issue" than a rest-friendly issue. Check this guideline and you can see that most of the things that makes an api friendly is concerned to the url.
But, lets answer what you are asking. The thing you wanna do is a refactoring method but it is not only the move method but something like the extract variable.
The second option would make the code more readable, either ways are right but the second is more developer friendly. It enhances the code readability from any developer. I would recommend using the second option.
Refactoring is never enough, but read something like this, it will help you a lot writing more readable codes.

Call Helpers From Zend_Form

I try this codes, but not works:
$this->getView()->translate("Name"); //not work
$this->_view->translate("Name"); //not work
$this->view->translate("Name"); //not work
First of all, Zend_View is not injected into Zend_Form. So when you call $this->view or $this->_view it wont work, because there is nothing to return. Why getHelper() works? Because it fetches view via helper broker (and if your are using viewRenderer). Look below at the code:
// Zend/Form.php
public function getView()
{
if (null === $this->_view) {
require_once 'Zend/Controller/Action/HelperBroker.php';
$viewRenderer = Zend_Controller_Action_HelperBroker::getStaticHelper('viewRenderer');
$this->setView($viewRenderer->view);
}
return $this->_view;
}
This is reason why $this->_view->translate() works if you call getView() before, because it's stored as protected property.
According to this, that code should work perfectly and works for me:
class My_Form extends Zend_Form
{
public function init()
{
echo $this->getView()->translate('name'); //fires 'translate' view helper and translating value
//below will also work, because you have view now in _view: getView() fetched it.
echo $this->_view->translate("another thing");
}
}
BTW. If your using translate helper to translate labels or names of fields, you don't have to. Will be enough, if you set translator object as a static property of Zend_Form, best in your bootstrap:
Zend_Form::setDefaultTranslator($translator);
And from that moment all fields names and labels will be translated automatically.
I don't no why, but when I add this function to my form, it work:
public function init() {
$this->getView();
}
this line works:
$this->_view->translate("Name");
View is not injected into Zend_Form (don't ask me why, when it's required for rendering). You have to extend Zend_Form and inject view inside yourself. Other option is using FrontController->getInstance() > getStaticHelper > viewRenderer and recieve view from it.

Zend Framework: How to inject a controller property from a Zend_Controller_Plugin

I wrote a plugin that needs to set a property on the controller that's currently being dispatched. For example, if my plugin is:
class Application_Plugin_Foo extends Zend_Controller_Plugin_Abstract
{
public function dispatchLoopStartup(Zend_Controller_Request_Abstract $request)
{
// Get an instance of the current controller and inject the $foo property
// ???->foo = 'foo';
}
}
I want to be able to do this:
class IndexController extends Zend_Controller_Action
{
public function indexAction()
{
$this->view->foo = $this->foo;
}
}
}
Any help is greatly appreciated!
The action controller is not directly accessible directly from a front-controller plugin. It's the dispatcher that instantiates the controller object and he doesn't appear to save it anywhere accessible.
However, the controller is accessible from any registered action helpers. Since action helpers have a preDispatch hook, you could do your injection there.
So, in library/My/Controller/Helper/Inject.php:
class My_Controller_Helper_Inject extends Zend_Controller_Action_Helper_Abstract
{
public function preDispatch()
{
$controller = $this->getActionController();
$controller->myParamName = 'My param value';
}
}
Then register an instance of the helper in application/Bootstrap.php:
protected function _initControllerInject()
{
Zend_Controller_Action_HelperBroker::addHelper(
new My_Controller_Helper_Inject()
);
}
And, as always, be sure to include My_ as an autoloader namespace in configs/application.ini:
autoloaderNamespaces[] = "My_"
Then, in the controller, access the value directly as a public member variable:
public function myAction()
{
var_dump($this->myParamName);
}
One thing to note: Since the helper uses the preDispatch() hook, I believe it will get called on every action, even an internal forward().
Browsing through the API, I didn't find a way to reach the controller directly (I'm guessing this loop is performed before the controller exists). What I could find is almost as easy to access, albeit with a bit different syntax.
Via request params
class Application_Plugin_Foo extends Zend_Controller_Plugin_Abstract
{
public function dispatchLoopStartup(Zend_Controller_Request_Abstract $request)
{
$yourParam = 'your value';
if($request->getParam('yourParam')) {
// decide if you want to overwrite it, the following assumes that you do not care
$request->setParam('yourParam', $yourParam);
}
}
}
And in a Zend_Controller_Action::xxxAction():
$this->getParam('yourParam');
Via Zend_Controller_Action_Helper_Abstract
There's another way mentioned in MWOP's blog, but it takes the form of an action helper instead: A Simple Resource Injector for ZF Action Controllers. His example would let you access any variable in Zend_Controller_Action as $this->yourParam.

zend-framework, call an action helper from within another action helper

i am writing an action helper and i need to call another action helper from within that helper. but i dont know how. here in the sample code:
class Common_Controller_Action_Helper_SAMPLE extends Zend_Controller_Action_Helper_Abstract
{
protected $_view;
public function __construct(Zend_View_Interface $view = null, array $options = array())
{
$this->_view = $view;
}
public function preDispatch()
{
$flashMessenger = $this->_helper->FlashMessenger; // IT IS NULL
}
}
Use the action helper broker:
$flashMessenger =
Zend_Controller_Action_HelperBroker::getStaticHelper('FlashMessenger');
You can also use getActionController to get a reference back to the actioncontroller you were using for any methods you'd normally use there.
In addition to mercator's answer, add your method after, see example below:
Zend_Controller_Action_HelperBroker::getStaticHelper('FlashMessenger')->myMethod();
You can call it in this way:
$this->_actionController->OtherActionHelper();
The _actionController property references the actual action controller.

Zend Framework: How to display multiple actions, each requiring different authorizations levels, on a single page

Imagine I have 4 database tables, and an interface that presents forms for the management of the data in each of these tables on a single webpage (using the accordion design pattern to show only one form at a time). Each form is displayed with a list of rows in the table, allowing the user to insert a new row or select a row to edit or delete. AJAX is then used to send the request to the server.
A different set of forms must be displayed to different users, based on the application ACL.
My question is: In terms of controllers, actions, views, and layouts, what is the best architecture for this interface?
For example, so far I have a controller with add, edit and delete actions for each table. There is an indexAction for each, but it's an empty function. I've also extended Zend_Form for each table. To display the forms, I then in the IndexController pass the Forms to it's view, and echo each form. Javascript then takes care of populating the form and sending requests to the appropraite add/edit/delete action of the appropriate controller. This however doesn't allow for ACL to control the display or not of Forms to different users.
Would it be better to have the indexAction instantiate the form, and then use something like $this->render(); to render each view within the view of the indexAction of the IndexController? Would ACL then prevent certain views from being rendered?
Cheers.
There are a couple of places you could run your checks against your ACL:
Where you have your loop (or hardcoded block) to load each form.
In the constructor of each of the Form Objects, perhaps throwing a custom exception, which can be caught and appropriately handled.
From the constructor of an extension of Zend_Form from which all your custom Form objects are extended (probably the best method, as it helps reduce code duplication).
Keep in mind, that if you are using ZF to perform an AJAXy solution for your updating, your controller needs to run the ACL check in it's init() method as well, preventing unauthorized changes to your DB.
Hope that helps.
Have you solved this one yet?
I'm building a big database app with lots of nested sub-controllers as panels on a dashboard shown on the parent controller.
Simplified source code is below: comes from my parentController->indexAction()
$dashboardControllers = $this->_helper->model( 'User' )->getVisibleControllers();
foreach (array_reverse($dashboardControllers) as $controllerName) // lifo stack so put them on last first
{
if ($controllerName == 'header') continue; // always added last
// if you are wondering why a panel doesn't appear here even though the indexAction is called: it is probably because the panel is redirecting (eg if access denied). The view doesn't render on a redirect / forward
$this->_helper->actionStack( 'index', $this->parentControllerName . '_' . $controllerName );
}
$this->_helper->actionStack( 'index', $this->parentControllerName . '_header' );
If you have a better solution I'd be keen to hear it.
For my next trick I need to figure out how to display these in one, two or three columns depending on a user preference setting
I use a modified version of what's in the "Zend Framework in Action" book from Manning Press (available as PDF download if you need it now). I think you can just download the accompanying code from the book's site. You want to look at the Chapter 7 code.
Overview:
The controller is the resource, and the action is the privilege.
Put your allows & denys in the controller's init method.
I'm also using a customized version of their Controller_Action_Helper_Acl.
Every controller has a public static getAcls method:
public static function getAcls($actionName)
{
$acls = array();
$acls['roles'] = array('guest');
$acls['privileges'] = array('index','list','view');
return $acls;
}
This lets other controllers ask about this controller's permissions.
Every controller init method calls $this->_initAcls(), which is defined in my own base controller:
public function init()
{
parent::init(); // sets up ACLs
}
The parent looks like this:
public function init()
{
$this->_initAcls(); // init access control lists.
}
protected function _initAcls()
{
$to_call = array(get_class($this), 'getAcls');
$acls = call_user_func($to_call, $this->getRequest()->getActionName());
// i.e. PageController::getAcls($this->getRequest()->getActionName());
if(isset($acls['roles']) && is_array($acls['roles']))
{
if(count($acls['roles'])==0) { $acls['roles'] = null; }
if(count($acls['privileges'])==0){ $acls['privileges'] = null; }
$this->_helper->acl->allow($acls['roles'], $acls['privileges']);
}
}
Then I just have a function called:
aclink($link_text, $link_url, $module, $resource, $privilege);
It calls {$resource}Controller::getAcls() and does permission checks against them.
If they have permission, it returns the link, otherwise it returns ''.
function aclink($link_text, $link_url, $module, $resource, $privilege)
{
$auth = Zend_Auth::getInstance();
$acl = new Acl(); //wrapper for Zend_Acl
if(!$acl->has($resource))
{
$acl->add(new Zend_Acl_Resource($resource));
}
require_once ROOT.'/application/'.$module.'/controllers/'.ucwords($resource).'Controller.php';
$to_call = array(ucwords($resource).'Controller', 'getAcls');
$acls = call_user_func($to_call, $privilege);
if(isset($acls['roles']) && is_array($acls['roles']))
{
if(count($acls['roles'])==0) { $acls['roles'] = null; }
if(count($acls['privileges'])==0){ $acls['privileges'] = null; }
$acl->allow($acls['roles'], $resource, $acls['privileges']);
}
$result = $acl->isAllowed($auth, $resource, $privilege);
if($result)
{
return ''.$link_text.'';
}
else
{
return '';
}
}