Entity

Whyte_Model_Entity is the core of Whyte Model. It serves as the base for all models of a project.

Public methods

fetch($id)

Fetch entity from DB and return it as Whyte_Model_Entity instance. If there is no DB record with the given $id - return null. This is a static method:

...
$id = $this->_getParam('id');
$this->view->category = Application_Model_Category::fetch($id);
...

It utilizes Whyte_Model_Mapper::get() to fetch the data from DB. You are encouraged to override the fetch() method per model to fine-tune fetched data (like use another mapper method to join with another table, etc).

Parameters:$id – entity’s id

fetch_all($limit=null)

This static method is mostly an example of fetching all records of an entity. Usually one will have to override it per model to implement different filtering techniques:

...
// here is an overridden `fetch_all` with some model-specific params
$this->view->teams = Application_Model_Team::fetch_all($sport_id, $page);
...

Parameters:$limit – limit the result set Returns:array

create(array $data, $add_to_index=true)

A static method that can be used to persist an entity:

try {
  $new_id = Application_Model_Entity::create($data);
} catch (Whyte_Exception_EntityNotValid $e) {
  ...
}

It returns the new entity id or throws Whyte_Exception_EntityNotValid if the given $data fails to pass validation.

Parameters:

• $data – entity data presented as an assoc. array
• $add_to_index – add to search index if true

update(array $data, $id, $add_to_index=true)

A static method that can be used to update a persisted entity:

...
if ($this->_request->isPost()) {
    $data = $this->_request->getPost();
    try {
        $updated_game = Application_Model_Game::update($data, $id);
    } catch (Whyte_Exception_EntityNotValid $e) {
        ...
    }
}
...

It returns the updated entity or throws Whyte_Exception_EntityNotValid if the given $data fails to pass validation or throws Whyte_Exception_EntityNotFound, if there is no record with given $id.

Parameters:

• $data – entity data presented as an assoc. array
• $id – entity’s id
• $add_to_index – add to search index if true

delete($id)

A static method that can be used to delete a persisted entity:

$id = $this->_getParam('id');
try {
    Application_Model_User::delete($id);
} catch (Exception $e) {
    ...
}

If a record with $id is not found, it throws an Exception.

Parameters:$id – entity’s id

to_array()

Return entity instance as an associative array:

$user->to_array();

/*Returns something like:
array(
    'id'=> 345,
    'email'=> 'user@example.com',
    'password_hash'=> '601f1889667efaebb33b8c12572835da3f027f78',
    'first_name'=> 'Mike',
    'last_name'=> 'Smith',
    'phone'=> '433-7300',
    'registration_date'=> '2012-06-01',
    'job_title'=> 'scout',
    'status_id'=> 1
);
*/

has_errors()

Check if instance has errors (is invalid):

if ($user->has_errors()){
    echo 'Bad data';
    ...
}

get_validators($name)

Return entity’s validators by a property name:

$user->get_validators('email');

/* Returns something like:
   array('EmailAddress', 'presence'=>'required')
*/

Parameters:$name – Name of the property in question

This method is useful when you define a new model that has similar properties with an already defined one:

...
'email_address'=> $user->get_validators('email'),
...

count_all()

Count all entity records. It calls the Whyte_Model_Mapper::count_all() method which in turn generates a select count(*) query.

Returns:int

dummy()

This static method returns a ‘dummy’ instance of an entity with all properties as empty strings. Useful for populating an empty form for a new record while keeping the same create/update template.