Set Zend response into a variable - zend-framework

Question

I have an action that returns a JSON. I need to call it from another controller and I need to get this response into a variable to parse the JSON.
I've tried:
private function makeListFromUrl($menu)
{
$req = new Zend_Controller_Request_Http();
$req->setRequestUri('/module/controller/get.json/');
$res = new Zend_Controller_Response_Http();
$dis = $this->getFrontController()->dispatch($req, $res);
$dis->dispatch($req, $res);
$json = $res->getBody();
return Zend_Json::decode($json);
}
But this code causes the front controller to render the action, overriding the actual action. I just want to make a request, get the response into a variable, while leaving the actual request untouched.
Thanks.

Answer 1

i have a simple solution to this, not sure if it's the best, but worked very well.
$actionHelper = new Zend_View_Helper_Action();
$var = $actionHelper->action('action', 'controller', 'module', $params);
same way you'd do inside the view, but in the controller.
i hope this can help somebody.

Answer 2

You have to set returnResponse(true) for the FrontController to send the response back.
private function makeListFromUrl($menu)
{
$req = new Zend_Controller_Request_Http();
$req->setRequestUri('/module/controller/get.json/');
$front = Zend_Controller_Front::getInstance();
$front->returnResponse(true);
$response = $front->dispatch($requestObj);
$json = $res->getBody();
return Zend_Json::decode($json);
}