Can (and should?) Zend_Auth return class as the Identity?

Question

I have a class R00_Model_User, which, curiously enough, represents user as he is. Can $result->getIdentity() return me an object of this class? (Or maybe it's stupid?)

(There is a factory method in R00_Model_User which prevents from duplicating objects. I'd like Zend_Auth to use it instead of creating a new object, if it can)

Answer 1

In one of my applications, I have getIdentity() return a user object, and it works pretty well for me. To use your factory method, do like this:

$auth = Zend_Auth::getInstance();
$user = R00_Model_User::getInstance(...);
$auth->getStorage()->write($user);

Then when you call getIdentity(), you will have your user object.

Answer 2

Two options:

• write your own authentication adapter subclassing the out-of-the-box-adapter that matches your scenario best

  class R00_Auth_Adapter extends Zend_Auth_Adapter_*
  {
      /**
       * authenticate() - defined by Zend_Auth_Adapter_Interface.  This method is called to
       * attempt an authentication.  Previous to this call, this adapter would have already
       * been configured with all necessary information to successfully connect to a database
       * table and attempt to find a record matching the provided identity.
       *
       * @throws Zend_Auth_Adapter_Exception if answering the authentication query is impossible
       * @return Zend_Auth_Result
       */
      public function authenticate()
      {
          $result = parent::authenticate();
          if ($result->isValid() {
              return new Zend_Auth_Result(
                  $result->getCode(),
                  R00_Model_User::load($result->getIdentity()),
                  $result->getMessages()
              );
          } else {
              return $result;
          }
      }
  }
  

  This will allow you to code

  $adapter = new R00_Auth_Adapter();
  //... adapter initialisation (username, password, etc.)
  $result = Zend_Auth::getInstance()->authenticate($adapter);
  

  and on successfull authentication your user-object is automatically stored in the authentication storage (session by default).

• or use your login-action to update the stored user identity

  $adapter = new Zend_Auth_Adapter_*();
  $result = $adapter->authenticate();
  if ($result->isValid()) {
      $user = R00_Model_User::load($result->getIdentity());
      Zend_Auth::getInstance()->getStorage()->write($user);
  }