My two cents,
I've been using viewHelpers in this way:
A view helper for a specific controller goes in directory
app/modules/views/helpers/controllerName
A view helper shared between controllers in a given module goes in
directory
app/modules/views/helpers/
A view helper shared by all modules goes in
app/views/helpers
Example:
Controller Specific viewHelpers
app/modules/default/views/helpers/index/IndexPage.phtml
app/modules/default/views/helpers/index/IndexPageForm.phtml
app/modules/default/views/helpers/login/LoginPage.php
app/modules/default/views/helpers/login/LoginPageForm.php
app/modules/default/views/helpers/login/GetMenu.php
ViewHelpers available to all controllers in default module:
app/modules/default/views/GetDefaultMenu.php
ViewHelpers available to all modules:
app/views/helpers/GetSideMenu.php
app/views/helpers/RouteOutput.php
In my acl plugin I add the view helper paths from general to specific.
With the most specific being at the controller level. Order is important..
$module = $request->module;
$controller = $request->controller;
$action = $request->action;
$view = Zend_Registry::get('view');
$views_path =
make_private_path("/app/modules/$module/views/scripts");
$view->addScriptPath($views_path);
$views_path =
make_private_path("/app/modules/$module/views/scripts/$controller");
$view->addScriptPath($views_path);
$helperPath = make_private_path("/app/views/helpers");
$view->addHelperPath($helperPath);
$helperPath =
make_private_path("/app/modules/$module/views/helpers");
$view->addHelperPath($helperPath);
$helperPath =
make_private_path("/app/modules/$module/views/helpers/$controller");
$view->addHelperPath($helperPath);
So, in my IndexController I can write:
public function indexAction() {
$view = Zend_Registry::get('view');
$text = $view->indexPage(); //call to viewHelper
$view->routeOutput('main', $text); //call to viewHelper
$view->renderView();
}
Inside IndexPage.php.php I can write:
class Zend_View_Helper_IndexPage
{
public function indexPage()
{
$view = Zend_Registry::get('view');
$view->routeOutput('menu', $view->getMenu($flag)); //call to viewHelper
return $view->indexPageForm(); // call to viewHelper
}
}
class Zend_View_Helper_IndexPageForm
{
public function indexPageForm()
{
$view = Zend_Registry::get('view');
$form = blah...
return $form;
}
}
<?php
class Zend_View_Helper_RouteOutput
{
public function routeOutput($to, $what, $overwrite = true) {
$view = Zend_Registry::get('view');
$route_map = array('main' =>'main_content', 'menu' =>'main_menu');
$route = $route_map[$to];
if(true === $overwrite)
$view->$route = $what; //overwrite it
else
$view->$route .= $what; // add to it
}
}
?>
The amazing thing is it will actually find the proper ViewHelper. The
view is
exo-polymorphic, you can add functions to it without touching the object or
mucking about with inheritance.
Sold on view helpers!
cheers,
pat
