Fix for 'return' in cakePHP to return Value from view controller funtion

Question

Hi there

I have a function inside of a view function inside of a model class in the model.php file that looks like this

function sqlToUnix($date){
    $YMDThenHMS = explode(" ", $date);
    $YMD = explode("-", $YMDThenHMS[0]);
    $HMS = explode(":", $YMDThenHMS[1]);
    $UnixTime = mktime($HMS[0], $HMS[1], $HMS[2], $YMD[1], $YMD[2], $YMD[0]);

    return $UnixTime;
}

The problem is, when it returns $UnixTime, The return value is usable inside the model controller specific view function but it won't render my view (stops script propogation)

Is there a place where I can build functions like this up for use ANYWHERE in ANY Controller?

Such as the function time() built into PHP itself, I want to be able to use sqlToUnix anywhere

Answer 1

I was able to fix the problem by storing the function in the appController.php and called the funtion when need be using

$this->sqlToUnix($SQLDate);

Sorry about asking the question but I just remembered the appController when I posted this ><

Answer 2

For your specific function, are you sure there are no builtin functions which return your UnixTime format?

Is there a place where I can build functions like this up for use ANYWHERE in ANY Controller?

class MyHelpers
{
    public static function sqlToUnix($SQLDate)
    {
        // code
        return $result;
    }
}

// call me this way, anywhere:
$result = MyHelpers::sqlToUnix($SQLDate);

Answer 3

If you want to call this function from anywhere, i.e. in models, controllers, views, behaviors, components and helpers, you can put it in your app/config/bootstrap.php file. That's what it's for. Once the it's available globally simply as sqlToUnix();

Answer 4

You can write a function is bootstrap.php (although you'd do better to include another PHP file from bootstrap.php instead).

I normally have any extra functions or configuration in a file within the /app/config directory and include it with in my bootstrap.php file:

require_once(APP.'config'.DS.'my_file_of_whizzy_functions.php');

The function will then be available throughout your CakePHP app.

Aside from that, does strtotime($sqlDate); not convert a SQL time to a unix timestamp?

Answer 5

You can access this function via your controller and pass it into the view:

//Controller

//inside a controller action
{
$TIMESTAMP = $this->Model->sql2unix($this->Model->getTimestamp());
$this->set('timestampe',$TIMESTAMP);
// or does this even do not work?
}

otherwise you can create a component

//inside the component // inside of a component method
{
$MODEL = loadModel('ModelName');
$return = $MODEL->sql2unix($MODEL->getTimestamp());

return $return;
}

It is nearly "not important" where to place your code, you just have to follow cakephp's folder/class/helper/method/component structure. Read the manual part about components or helpers and you'll understand everything instantly.