This is how I created my own model. I need it just to place extra functions that I need but doesn’t belong to other models. I don’t even need attributeNames(). Is it possible to call that model in this way
ExtraFunctions::model()->generateMainMenu()
<?php
class ExtraFunctions extends CModel
{
public function attributeNames()
{}
public function generateMainMenu()
{
}
}
yes you can call it. but is the purpose of your function?
Why you need a model to generate a menu?
If you want a component/class for project specific functions you can create a simple class with static methods or a CApplicationComponent that you can configure in config/main.php
Create a SiteUtil class in protected/components.
class SiteUtil //maybe extends CComponent
{
public static function generateMainMenu()
{
....
}
//... more helper methods for your application ...
}
//Usage:
SiteUtil::generateMainMenu();
Or, if you want to configure some properties in config/main.php.
class SiteUtil extends CApplicationComponent
{
public $menuOptions=array(... defaultValues here ...);
public function generateMainMenu()
{
//You can use $this->menuOptions or other settings from config/main.php here .....
....
}
//... more helper methods for your application ...
}
//config/main.php
components=>array(
'siteutil'=array(
'class'=>'SiteUtil',
'menuOptions'=>array(.....),
... more settings for public properties ...
)
)
//Usage
Yii::app()->siteutil->generateMainMenu();
//or to override the default settings from config/main.php
$siteUtil=Yii::app()->siteutil;
$siteUtil->menuOptions=array(...);
$siteUtil->generateMainMenu();
I thought of using simple class. but what if I need to preform some sql query and I want to call other models, can I do that without extending my class?
Can you call other models in a controller action? Yes. So to answer your Q. Yes. For MVC, I would put your SQL query in a public function in the model it mainly applies to, or makes sense to you, then call from where ever.
Not sure if this will help, but…
I have an app that has a department table. In the model I have a getListData() function that returns the data for CGridview filtering. I also have a getMenuItems() function that returns an ‘items’ array for a CMenu. It can be used for a dropdown sub menu on the main menu, or as the menuItems for the sidebar CPorlet.
But the upshot is that the Department Model does all the talking to the table.
Cool, thank you all 