Re: [fw-mvc] Commons view helpers for every modules of an application

What I usually do is set up a controller plugin that adds the default helper path to the view prior to dispatching. Then, using the postDispatch hook, I add the current module's helper path to the stack so that helpers from both "default" and the current module become available.

I'm not sure if this approach is "Zend Framework compliant" but it seems to work well for me.

Here's a copy of the plugin I wrote to handle view directories:

<?php

class Virgen_Controller_Plugin_View extends Zend_Controller_Plugin_Abstract
{
    protected $_view;
   
    protected $_viewRenderer;
   
    public function __construct()
    {
        // Set up view
        $this->_viewRenderer = Zend_Controller_Action_HelperBroker::getStaticHelper('ViewRenderer');
        $this->_view = $this->_viewRenderer->view;
       
        if (null === $this->_view) {
            $this->_viewRenderer->init();
            $this->_view = $this->_viewRenderer->view;
        }
       
        // Add default scripts/helpers to the script/helper paths
        $defaultViewPath = MODULE_PATH . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'default' . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'views';
        $this->_view->addScriptPath($defaultViewPath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'scripts');
        $this->_view->addHelperPath($defaultViewPath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'helpers', 'Virgen_View_Helper');
    }
   
    public function postDispatch(Zend_Controller_Request_Abstract $request)
    {
        // Determine module directory
        $front = Zend_Controller_Front::getInstance();
        $module = $request->getModuleName();
        $controllerDirectory = $front->getControllerDirectory($module);
        $moduleDirectory = dirname($controllerDirectory);
       
        $viewsPath = $moduleDirectory . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'views';
        $scriptsPath = $viewsPath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'scripts';
        $helpersPath = $viewsPath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'helpers';
       
        // Override script path with this module's script path
        $this->_view->setScriptPath($scriptsPath);
       
        // Add helpers to default helpers
        $helperPrefix = ('default' == $module) ? 'Virgen_View_Helper' : 'Virgen_' . ucfirst($module) . '_View_Helper';
        $this->_view->addHelperPath($helpersPath, $helperPrefix);
    }
}

-Hector

On Mon, Feb 23, 2009 at 2:43 PM, Lucas Corbeaux <lucas.corbeaux@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi there,

I have a little design question as I want to be the most "Zend Framework compliant" as possible in my application design.

I have three modules, and both uses the same view helpers. If I put my helpers in default/views/helpers/, it works perfectly for the default module, but I must use a $this->view->addHelper('document_root/../application/default/views/helpers/) in my others modules' init method (wich is not really complex, as all my modules controller inherit from an abstract one, inheriting themselves from a much global one for all the application).

Is there a best practice, or, at least, a more common way to do for such a configuration (Custom view class, Front plugin...) ? So many way, so hard to choose one ;)

Thanks,
Lucas