My Very First… Model View Controller Web Application with the Zend Framework

1. My Very First…Model View Controller Web Applicationwith the Zend Framework New York CityZF Meetup

2. Part One • Why use an MVC framework? • Inversion of Control makes life simpler. • Setting up an environment for use with ZF. • Creating a project with ZF tool. • ZF application basics.

3. Why Use an MVC Framework? • Helps to stay DRY (don’t repeat others either) • Spend time on unique application problems, not plumbing problems. • Take advantage of combined years of experience. • Things you think of down the line already taken care of. • Flexible, reliable, well tested code base: • Unit tested. • Community tested.

4. Inversion of Control • Framework != Library • A library is a set of tools. • A framework gives you a working structure to customize by hooking into key points. • The framework invokes your code at the appropriate time (control is inverted).

5. Zend Framework MVC Framework + Components Library + CMD Tool • MVC architecture. • Useful components for everyday tasks: • ACL + Auth • Forms: validation, filtering built in • Web services: Amazon, Twitter, etc • Command line tool eases set-up tasks.

6. Zend Framework • Use at will: • Components can be integrated into an app done with Lithium, Symfony, Wordpress, Drupal, etc. • Large user community • 500 contributors, 10 million downloads • Corporate backing (+/-) • Test driven development

7. Background Info • MVC frameworks typicallyare made of: • Controllers and action methods • 1 Action Method ≈ 1 Page • Controllers group action methods • View scripts • Control look and feel of app • Models • Application data

8. Simple Example(find the code for a URL) • In a ZF app, this URL: • Maps to the “about action method” of the “index controller”

9. Simple Example • The “index controller” is a class. • The “about action method” is a method of the IndexController class.

10. Simple Example • About action is called by the framework and renders the “about view script”.

11. Simple Example • The results of the view script are output.

12. Simple Example: Summary • Framework maps URL to an action method. • You write one method and one view script • Framework calls your code when it’s needed • Framework presents view script to user

13. Real Project: Tasks • Want an application to create, manage, and view my tasks. • Users should be able to register. • Users should be able to create, edit, and delete individual tasks. • Users should be able to view a list of their tasks, or any single task.

14. Tasks: So we’ll need… • A user component. • A registration component. • A tasks component. • Security to make sure: • Only members can see other users • Only members can do task stuff • Only the owner of a task can do stuff to her tasks • etc

15. Set Up 1: ZF Command Line Tool • Download current version of ZF • Folder will contain Zend library, and bin: • Windows: Add bin to your PATH • *nix: Create symbolic link • Even better, use PEAR installer!

16. Set Up 2: Zend library to Include Path • Can add in php.ini • Can add in application’s index.php file

17. Step 1: Create Project • Use ZF tool to create project structure. • Must “enter” app directory for further tooling.

18. Step 1: Create Project • “public” is the face of your application. • Accessible to civilians • CSS, Javascript, other asset files go here. • index.php is single point of entry. • .htaccess automatically created • “application” is where most of the app lives. • “library” is for app specific libraries. • “tests” is for unit tests

19. Step 1: Create Project • zf create project creates an index controller with a default index action and script

20. Step 2: Modify Index Action Output • Want to put something specific to your app on public splash page. • Need to: • Modify the action method • Modify the view script • Where are these files in app folder structure?

21. Step 2: Modify Index Action Output • One controller class per file, • View scripts housed in views/scripts • Grouped into folder named after “it’s controller”

22. Step 2: Modify Index Action Output • Change views/scripts/index/index.phtmlfrom this…

23. Step 2: Modify Index Action Output • …to this:

24. Step 3: Variables in View Scripts • In ZF, view is an object • View object is in charge of rendering scripts • View scripts execute inside of view object • View scripts have same scope as method of view object • In other words, in script $this refers to the view object • Controller has reference to view object • Controller assigns variable to view object for use in view scripts • Assign as property of view object

25. Step 3: Variables in View Scripts • Variables assigned as view object properties in controller:

26. Step 3: Variables in View Scripts • Variables used as members of view object inside of view script:

27. Step 3: Variables in View Scripts

28. Step 4: Create Another Page • A Page ≈ An Action Method • Create action methods using ZF tool • Creates method body in controller and view script. • Zf create action actionNamecontrollerItsIn • (Note that you have to have created the controller using ZF tool to create an action in it using the tool)

29. Step 4: Create Another Page • Create an about page:

30. Step 4: Create Another Page • Action body and view script magically created!

31. Step 4: Create Another Page • Modify view script as desired and presto!

32. Steps 5 – 8: Users • Want to be able to register users • Want to be able to store user data • Want to let users manage their data • Want to make sure only users can access user data

33. Steps 5 – 8: Users • So we’ll need: • A way to interact with a user database table (Zend_Db) • A way for users to interact with information (Zend_Form) • User pages (UserController) • Log in and access control (Zend_Acl + Zend_Auth)

34. Steps 5 – 8: Users • Start with a Users table like so:

35. Step 5: Create UserController • We’ll put user related actions in the UserController. • Use ZF tool to create the controller and actions • Zf create controller controllerName • Will create controller class file, and view scripts directory

36. Step 5: Create UserController

37. Step 5: Create UserController

38. Step 6: Using a Database • ZF has adapter based access toDB tables. • Most major DB server’s supported • MySQL, Postgre, Oracle, MSSQL, IBM DB2… • Query against adapter  easier to make changes to backend without ripple effects in consumer code. • Not Zend_Model

39. Step 6: Using a Database • 2 or 3 Steps: • Create DB adapter • Optionally, create table • Use it

40. Step 6: Using a Database • We’ll use simple version (query against DB) • For now, DB config in controller init method • Think of init as constructor hook

41. Step 6: Using a Database • Method to insert is…insert!

42. Step 6: Using a Database • Method to update is…update!

43. Step 6: Using a Database • Method to delete is…delete!

44. Step 6: Using a Database • Various methods for SELECT statements: • fetchAll • fetchAssoc • fetchNum • fetchObj

45. Step 6: Using a Database

46. Step 6: Using a Database • Methods are similar when using Zend_Db_Table • Usually configure DB in bootstrap

47. Step 7: Using Forms • Users need to be able to register • Use Zend_Form for registration form • Forms and form elements in ZF are objects: • Add elements to form with addElement • Can add validators to elements to ensure data integrity • EmailAddressvalidator • Integer validator • Many more

48. ZF Tool and Forms

49. Add Elements to Forms • Element name and type required

50. Create and Display a Form • Create in controller, assign to view, use Zend_Form::render() to display.