How do I use a controller within a controller? - php

Question

I am using Kohana 3.2 and I am having problems calling the ouput of a controller in another controller.
What I want...
In some pages I have got a menu, and in others I don't. I want to use make use of the flexability of the HMVC request system. In the controller of a page I want to call another controller which is responsible for the creation of the menu.
What I have a the moment:
file menu.php:
<?php defined('SYSPATH') or die('No direct script access.');
class Controller_Menu extends Controller
{
private $_model = null;
public function __construct(Request $request, Response $response)
{
parent::__construct($request, $response);
$this->_model = Model::factory('menu');
}
public function action_getMenu()
{
$content = array();
$content['menuItems'] = $this->_model->getMenuItems();
// Render and output.
$this->request->response = View::factory('blocks/menu', $content);
//echo '<pre>'; print_r($this->request->response->render()); echo '</pre>'; die();
}
}
somepage.php
public function action_index()
{
$this->template->title = 'someTitle';;
$contentData['pageTitle'] = 'someTitle';
$contentData['contentData'] = 'someData';
#include the menu
$menuBlock = Request::factory('menu/getMenu')->execute();
$menuData = array('menu' => $menuBlock);
$this->template->menu = View::factory('pages/menu')->set('menu',$menuData);
$this->template->content = View::factory('pages/somePage', $contentData);
$view = $this->response->body($this->template);
$this->response->body($view);
}
If I uncomment the following line in menu.php, I see the menu rendered:
//echo '<pre>'; print_r($this->request->response->render()); echo '</pre>'; die();
So I guess that part is alright. The problem is in the following line in somepage.php:
$menuBlock = Request::factory('menu/getMenu')->execute();
This gives me back a response object. Whatever I do, I do not get the output in $this->template->menu.
$this->template->menu = View::factory('pages/menu')->set('menu',$menuData);
What must I do to have $this->template->menu contain the view, so I can use it correctly?
I hope this all makes sense. This is the way I would like to do it, but maybe I am completely on the wrong track.

Answer 1

I would do it this way:
class Controller_Menu extends Controller
{
public function action_build()
{
// Load the menu view.
$view = View::factory('navigation/menu');
// Return view as response-
$this->response->body($view->render());
}
}
In your controller get the menu as follows:
// Make request and get response body.
$menu = Request::factory('menu/build')->execute()->body();
// e.g. assign menu to template sidebar.
$this->template->sidebar = Request:.factory('menu/build')->execute()->body();
I would not use the __construct method in your controllers. Use before() instead, this is sufficient for most of the problems (for example auth):
public function before()
{
// Call aprent before, must be done here.
parent::before();
// e.g. heck whether user is logged in.
if ( !Auth::instance()->logged_in() )
{
//Redirect if not logged in or something like this.
}
}

Answer 2

I found the answer to my problem in less than an hour after asking.
I just forgot to put it here.
In somePage.php change :
$menuBlock = Request::factory('menu/getMenu')->execute();
$menuData = array('menu' => $menuBlock);
$this->template->menu = View::factory('pages/menu')->set('menu',$menuData);
To:
$this->template->menu = Request::factory('menu/getMenuBlock')->execute()->body();
And in menu.php change:
$this->request->response = View::factory('blocks/menu', $content);
To:
$request = View::factory('blocks/menu', $content);
$this->response->body($request);
I hope this will help someone else.