cake bake [project-name]
cd project-name
cake bake all
2
A menu item for CakePHP?
3
Search Functionality
It is working on individual models (or tables).
4
User Login and Register System
Need to work on it.
5
Naming Conventions - Controller
=> controller name must match to a database table name;
=> If you decide to create controllers with names other than
tables of the database, you should actually not create a
controller but use a component instead.
=> The names of database tables as well as controllers are
lowercase and in plural form.
=> example: orders table will have a controller php file name
orders_controller.php under app/controllers folder. The
controller class will follow OrdersController convention (CamelCased).
6
Naming Conventions - Model
=> for orders table, the model file name under app/models
directory would be orders.php. The class name would be Order
extends AppModel.
7
Naming Conventions - View
=> The view name will be the same as actions defined in
controller. Suppose that there is an action called add (function add()),
then there will be a view called add under
app/views//add.ctp.
8
Naming Conventions - table name with more than one word
=> For example, table name is special_orders;
=> then the controller file should be
special_orders_controller.php under app/controllers folder;
=> the controller class name should be SpecialOrdersController
app/controllers/special_orders_controller.php file;
=> the model file name should be special_order.php under
app/models folder. The model class should be SpecialOrder
in app/models/special_order.php file.
=> The view name should be the same name as an action
defined in its controller under app/views/ folder.
9
Naming Conventions - Abstraction - components
If more than one controller needed to use the same actions,
then you could create a component. The controllers could
essentially run an include of the component and run the
actions as if they were individually contained in the controller.
10
Naming Conventions - Abstraction - elements
A view to be used by multiple views is stored in what is called an element.
11
Components
Component files contain actions or functions that can be used
across all the controllers. A component typically aims to provide
tools to accomplish a main objective.
=> The file name of a component can be anything, but like
models, views, and controllers, more than one word in the
name must be separated by underscores and camel case when
naming the class object.
Including Components in the Controller with the $components Array
var $components = array('Session','RequestHandler');
Running a Component Function in the Controller
$user = $this->Session->read('User');
Components are not intended to work directly with the database, so
the component does not do much more than return a variable, a
string, or an array for the controller to use.
12
Helpers
Helpers provide functionality that is used across multiple views.
Because helpers are set apart for use in the views, they are stored
in the app/views/helpers directory.
=> example of html link helper:
link('Read Post 55','/posts/view/55');?>
=> Radio button helper ($data is an array):
radio('data');?>
13
Elements
An element contains presentation output that can be pulled into
multiple view files.
=> Elements are named like controller actions and view files and are
stored in the app/views/elements directory.
=> Helpers and elements differ in that helpers work with view logic,
whereas elements are more like chunks of HTML that repeat
throughout the views.
14
Layouts
=> a layout file to be used by the entire application or one controller
action at a time.
=> Layouts are stored in the app/views/layouts directory and contain
presentation output like views and elements. They perform minimal
logic and mainly serve to wrap HTML around changing views.
=>A layout's file name can be anything but must be lowercase and
have the .ctp extension.
15
Behaviors
=> When interacting with the database, sometimes the model will
need to perform more complex processes than simply CRUD
functionality. In some applications, deleting a record will require
performing other manipulations to other tables and records,
and so on, with other database operations. Cake resolves this issue
with behaviors, which are classes that may be called by models when
performing model functions.
=> Behaviors are stored in the app/models/behaviors directory and
can be named anything following the same rules for naming helper
files and components. They must have the .php extension.
=> In the file, behavior class names are set with the following
syntax:
class SpecialBehavior extends ModelBehavior {}
=> By using behaviors to store complex or customized model
operations, you give the application's models more consistency.
16
DataSource
DataSources are the files that execute functions that talk with a source
that stores or supplies data to the application, such as MySql,
PostgreSql, Oracle, DB2, MS Sql Server.
The DataSource abstracts the sending, retrieving, saving, and
deleting data to the model so that the model really behaves the same
regardless of what external source processes the data.
=> When creating custom DataSource, make sure the file name is
lowercase and has _source.php appended. An XML DataSource could
be named, for example, xml_source.php and would be placed in the
app/models/datasources directory. Naming the class object in the
DataSource file (in this case, for the XML DataSource) is done with
the following syntax:
class XmlSource extends DataSource {}
17
Naming Conventions - Do not conflict with PHP predefined function names
Be Careful Using PHP Function Names as Action Names, such as date().
18
Helpers - css link
css('styles');?>
will produce:
=> The css files should be stored under webroot/css folder.
19
CakePHP functions - set
set() function is a Cake function that assigns a value to a view
variable.
example:
function index() {
$this->set('posts',$this->Post->find('all'));
}
20
CakePHP functions - find
find() function applies to the model. Example:
function index() {
$this->set('posts',$this->Post->find('all'));
}
A more detailed example:
$this->Post->find('all', array('conditions'=>array('User.id'=>1),
'fields'=>'Post.name',
'order'=>'Post.id ASC',
'limit'=>10,
'recursive'=>0
)
);
21
setting helpers array in controllers
var $helpers = array('Html', 'Form');
22
CakePHP functions - paginate()
Example in controller:
function index() {
$this->Post->recursive = 0;
$this->set('posts', $this->paginate());
}
This allows the Paginator helper to simplify column sorting and
multiple pages of data. Essentially, the paginate() function
performs a find() model function but also analyzes the result and
passes some important pagination parameters to the view. Then, in
the view, the Paginator helper takes those parameters and constructs
multiple pages and column sorting. If the paginate() function is not
run in the controller, the Paginator helper would break in the view.
23
CakePHP functions - setFlash in Session component
In controller:
$this->Session->setFlash(__('Invalid Post.', true));
24
CakePHP functions - redirect
$this->redirect(array('action'=>'index'));
When needing to launch another action with its views and
everything else, use the redirect() function instead of
requestAction().
=> In short, the redirect() function causes another browser
request and changes the URL, while requestAction() works
internally to launch specific actions.
25
CakePHP functions - read -- a model function
In controller, read from model:
$this->set('post', $this->Post->read(null, $id));
a model function, read(), which looks up the record that
corresponds to the ID supplied by the user and pulls its data.
In short, the read() function reads the contents of a particular record.
It differs from find() in that it does not include the recursive parameter.
26
CakePHP functions - create - a model function
In controller:
$this->Post->create();
Cake performs saves through the use of the create() and save()
model functions.
=> Initializes the model for writing a new record, loading the
default values for those fields that are not defined in $data, and
clearing previous validation errors. Especially helpful for saving
data in loops.
=> Rendering
27
CakePHP functions - save - a model function
In controller:
$this->Post->save($this->data)
28
CakePHP functions - find('list')
In controller:
$users = $this->Post->User->find('list');
29
CakePHP functions - compact
This is php function:
example:
What does the compact() function do? It takes the array you pass into
it and looks for variables of the same name as the elements in that
array. It then spits out an array of key => value pairs. So, one little
trick with compact() means you only have to use one set statement.
This works because all those $this->set() statements simply add
those values to an array.
30
php function - get_defined_vars() for debugging
After working my way through various debugging techniques, I
pulled out the big gun. In my view, I dumped the output of PHP's
get_defined_vars() function and found that my $vendor_type variable
had been renamed to $vendorType after the following line in
controller:
$this->set ( compact ( 'vendor_type', 'application_type', 'states' ) );
31
CakePHP functions - del
In controller:
$this->Post->del($id); // delete in posts table a row with id = $id.
Most developers refer to any asynchronous server responses as Ajax
operations, even though Ajax started as an acronym meaning
Asynchronous JavaScript And XML.
35
CakePHP functions - debug() function
Cake's debug() function provides a detailed and nicely formatted view
of a specified array. In this view file, insert the following line, which
uses the debug() function:
36
HTML helper functions - link
link( title[string], url[mixed], attributes[array],
confirmMessage[string], escapeTitle[bool] )
The first parameter in the HTML helper's link() function is the text to be
displayed. The second parameter is the URL, following the application's
routes, that will be placed in the link.
example:
link('
' . $post['Post'['name'] . '
',
'/posts/view/' . $post['Post']['id'],
null, null, false);
?>
link('Add a Post','/posts/add');?>
But you can use an alternate method for producing this same link
by entering an array in the url parameter, like so:
link('Add a Post',array('controller'=>'posts','action'=>'add'));?>
Of course, entering an absolute URL into the url parameter will send the user off site:
link('Check out the Bakery','http://bakery.cakephp.org');?>
You can include a confirmation message to be displayed as a
JavaScript alert dialog box by
entering a string in the confirmMessage parameter. For instance,
say you wanted to alert the
user before deleting records from the database. You could do
this by entering the confirm
message in the $html->link() function:
link('Delete','/posts/delete/'.$post['Post']['id'],null,'Are you sure you want to delete this post?');?>
When this is clicked, a box will appear asking the user "Are you sure you want to delete
this post?" If the user clicks Proceed, then the link will be activated.
You can include HTML tags in this function by setting the escapeTitle parameter to
false. Even other helper functions that output HTML can be
included in the title parameter,
like so:
link($html->image('title.jpg'),'/',null,null,false);?>
37
form helpers - input in checkbox in Views
Example:
echo $this->Form->input('Tag',
array('type'=>'select',
'multiple'=>'checkbox'
)
);
input( field[string], options[array] )
Perhaps no other helper function is quite so versatile as the
$form->input() function. This tool works both to receive and to
send data.
The $form->input() Function’s Automagic Responses to
Database Field Structures
Field Type Returns
====== ===========================
Boolean => Check box input element
Date => Day, month, and year select menus
Datetime => Day, month, year, hour, minute, and meridian select menus
String => (for example, varchar) Text box input element
Text => Text area element
Time => Hour, minute, and meridian select menus
Timestamp => Day, month, year, hour, minute, and meridian select menus
Tinyint(1) => Check box
String or text fields named => Password
password, passwd, or psword
Options Available for Use in the type Parameter in the options Array
Option Description
==== =============================
checkbox Alias for the $form->checkbox() function
date Renders select menus ordered as month, day, and year
datetime Alias for the $form->dateTime() function
file Alias for the $form->file() function
hidden Alias for the $form->hidden() function
password Alias for the $form->password() function
radio Alias for the $form->radio() function
select Alias for the $form->select() function
text Alias for the $form->text() function
textarea Alias for the $form->textarea() function
time Renders select menus ordered as hour, minute, and meridian
38
12 types of helpers in Cake
Cake comes preinstalled with 12 helpers:
• Ajax
• Cache
• Form
• HTML
• JavaScript
• Number
• Paginator
• RSS
• Session
• Text
• Time
• XML
http://bakery.cakephp.org
39
To make helpers available
To make the helper available, besides the HTML and Form helpers, you
must specify in the controller that the helper is being used. You do this
by populating the helper settings array with the corresponding helper's
class name:
var $helpers = array('Ajax','Session','Time');
By placing this string up by where the var $name and var $scaffold
attributes are called in its controller, Cake is able to begin a new
instance of the helper class object and make it available in the view.
40
3 Basic User <-> CakePHP application interactions
Users will most often interact with your Cake application in one of three
ways:
1) by making a simple page request;
2) by submitting a form of some kind;
3) or by sending page or form requests asynchronously (also
described as Ajax processes).
41
CakePHP functions - requestAction - a controller function
Example:
$this->set('tags',$this->requestAction('/tags/getList'));
requestAction can get the result of another controller action.
// getList action in another (tags_controller here) controller:
function getList() {
return $this->Tag->find('list');
}
Requesting actions as opposed to redirecting is reserved for
performing logic in another controller and pulling its results to
the current controller, not for simply launching another action
elsewhere in the application.
42
CakePHP functions - beforeFilter() - a controller function
The beforeFilter() callback action is called before every action is
executed. It is entered like any other action, as a PHP function, and
interrupts processing controller logic in the requested action. To block
users from accessing a certain area of the site, the beforeFilter() action
can check the session for information.
Example:
function beforeFilter() {
if ($this->action == 'view') {
if (!$this->Session->check('User')) {
$this->redirect('/users/login');
}
}
}
43
CakePHP functions - afterFilter() - a controller function
Just like the beforeFilter() callback action, afterFilter() performs logic
after every action is called.
44
CakePHP functions - beforeRender() - a controller function
This callback action performs logic between the execution of the
requested action's logic and the rendering of the view output for all
actions. Like beforeFilter() and afterFilter(), beforeRender() can be
made to apply to a specific action by using the $this->action variable.
45
model attribute (property) - recursive
function index() {
$this->Post->recursive = 0;
$this->set('posts', $this->paginate());
}
The recursive attribute tells the model how far to look when pulling
those associated records. If users were to have an association with
another table and the recursive attribute were set to a value greater
than 1, then the model would pull not only the associated user
records but their associated tables’ records as well.
In the Index action, the recursive attribute is set to zero, which
means that beyond the initial level of associations, Cake will ignore
other records.
The following table outlines the possible recursive values and their
results.
Possible Recursive Values
Value Result
–1 Returns only the current model and ignores all associations
0 Returns the current model plus its owner(s)
1 Returns the current model and its owner plus their associated models
2 Returns the current model, its owner, their associated models,
and the associated models of any associations
46
CakePHP functions - find with conditions
Example:
$this->Post->find('all',array('conditions'=>array('User.id'=>'<> 1')));
This is somewhat similar to sql's where clause.
Cake parses other SQL expressions, which include LIKE, BETWEEN,
and REGEX, but you must have a space between the operator and the
value. You can search for date or datetime fields by enclosing the
field name in the SQL DATE() parameter.
Another example: (AND case)
$this->Post->find('all',array('conditions'=>
array('User.id'=>1,
'DATE(Post.date)'=>'CURDATE()')));
Another example: (OR case)
$this->Post->find('all',array('conditions'=>array(
'or'=>array(
'User.id'=>1,'DATE(Post.date)'=>'CURDATE()'
)
)));
Another example - search multiple values of a field:
$this->Post->find('all',array('conditions'=>
array('User.id'=>array(1,2,5,10))
));
Another example:
$this->Post->find('all',array('order'=>'date DESC',
'limit'=>5,'recursive'=>0));
47
CakePHP functions - referer() in controller
By placing $this->referer() in the URL parameter, Cake will redirect to
the referring page of the current action.
48
Where to do validations?
To run a validation test, you don’t have to use the controller (in fact,
you should avoid using the controller); you can run validations in the
model alone.
49
CakePHP functions - unbindModel() model function
unbindModel() model function allows you to temporarily kill the
"has and belongs to many" relationship.
Example:
$this->unbindModel(
array('hasAndBelongsToMany'=>array('Tag'))
);
50
CakePHP functions - bindModel() model function
The bindModel() allows you to assign associations as well.
Example:
$this->bindModel(
array('hasManyAndBelongsToMany'=>array('Tag'))
);
