After overriding contoller how to best update handles

Question

Hi,

Once i override controller:

            <!--...-->               
              <rewrite>          
                   <sj_storepickup_checkout_onepage>                      
                       <from><![CDATA[#^/checkout/onepage/#]]></from>   
                            <to>/storepickup/checkout_onepage/</to>          
                   </sj_storepickup_checkout_onepage>                
              </rewrite>          
           <!--...-->

I am forced(because i don't know other way) to include layout file:

                 <!--...->
                     <layout>     
                         <updates>     
                             <storepickup>         
                                 <file>storepickup.xml</file>     
                              </storepickup>          
                         </updates>       
                     </layout>      
                <--...-->

so that i can update the new module(this case storepickup) handles to use orginal checkout_onepage_action handles that would be done as following in storepickup.xml

          <sj_storepickup_checkout_onepage_index>        
                <update handle="checkout_onepage_index"/>   
          </sj_storepickup_checkout_onepage_index>       

          <sj_storepickup_checkout_onepage_progress>        
              <update handle="checkout_onepage_progress"/>           
          </sj_storepickup_checkout_onepage_progress>

                               .
                               .
                               .

Otherwise the layout will render empty content block.

In the layout file storepickup.xml i am saying to use the original checkout layout handles and this seems a lot of repetitiveness and inefficient way to do it? Is there better way to update the handles? can i do the same thing within controller that way avoiding extra layout file to write/process?

Thank you,

Margots

Answer 1

Overriding controllers directly was always a bit of hack, with a lot of undesired side effects. Try using the technique discussed here to have Magento check your module first for a particular controller file.

<admin>
 <routers>
   <adminhtml>
     <args>
       <modules>
         <sintax before="Mage_Adminhtml">Mage_Sintax</sintax>
       </modules>
     </args>
   </adminhtml>
 </routers>
</admin>

It should leave your handle names intact.

Answer 2

Thanks Alan,...I did tried this before posting just to learn that Magento version 1.2 does not support this solution and the site is in version 1.2. I believe this solution will only work for magento version 1.3 and above. please, correct me if i am wrong?

Any other ideas how to solve this in magento version 1.2 and below?