views:

64

answers:

3

Is there any PHP application that can automatically generate add/edit forms and listing pages by just reading the database. Like PhpMyAdmin but highly customizable through code or configuration files. The main reason is to avoid time spent on development of back-end of web applications.

+4  A: 

Try a framework, like CakePHP or Symfony. Almost all frameworks offer scaffolding for the backend part of the app. Here's the Cake way, and here's the Symfony way.

Alex Ciminian
+1 for this comment. The OP needs to look into scaffolding. This would be my recommended suggestion.
George
It should be noted that Scaffold code is usually throw-away code. It's a Technical Debt you pay off later by implementing proper code. Scaffold code is not meant to be highly customizable.
Gordon
Symfony's scaffolding is pretty customizable through the `generator.yml` config file. If you don't need something _really_ custom, you'll do just fine with scaffolded code.
Alex Ciminian
Thanks for your response, but is there any other way to do this in zend framework.
Imran Naqvi
I'm sorry, but I haven't used the Zend Framework at all, so I can't help you here :). After a quick Google search, I found this though: http://clintberry.com/2010/08/zend-framework-code-generator-with-scaffolding/.
Alex Ciminian
+2  A: 

Symfony (using Propel or Doctrine) may have just what you're looking for: define the tables and their relationships, and it will generate the models for them, from which it can again generate admin listing/add/edit forms.

Piskvor
A: 

Forms and pages? Surely this is front-end, not back-end?

You might want to have a look at phpeanuts, phpformgen, phplens, dhtmlxgrid (NB there are other free ajax data grids - but I've not played with them much)

C.

symcbean