Zend Framework: Zend_Db_Table Column Alias Map Component Proposal

Proposed Component Name	Zend_Db_Table Column Alias Map
Developer Notes	http://framework.zend.com/wiki/display/ZFDEV/Zend_Db_Table Column Alias Map
Proposers	Fernando Chucre
Zend Liaison	TBD
Revision	1.0 - 30 July 2008: Initial Draft. (wiki revision: 3)

Many ORM needs map name of column difent of attribute name of object. Now in the Zend_Db_Table_Row_Abstract it isn't possible. Many developer implements a Zend_Db_Table_Row_Abstract class to make it, and many times these implementation is not good and not produtive. This component make it a way vary simple.

2. References

Metadata Mapping
Zend_Db_Table_Abstract
Zend_Db_Table_Row_Abstract
Zend_Db_Table_Rowset_Abstract

3. Component Requirements, Constraints, and Acceptance Criteria

This component will map real column name with different attribute name
This component will use the method Zend_Db_Table_Row_Abstrac::_transformColumn to make this possible.
This component will not change signatures of component.

4. Dependencies on Other Framework Components

Zend_Exception
Zend_Db_Table_Abstract
Zend_Db_Table_Row_Abstract
Zend_Db_Table_Rowset_Abstract
Zend_Db_Table_Select_Abstract

5. Theory of Operation

The component will continue to operate when called using the method signature. And will provide a new attribute in Zend_Db_Table_Abstract class called$_columnMap. This attribute is an array. The component will provide 4 new methods. A usualy case fallowing. The $_columnMap is a assossiative array and will be like this:

class AnyClass extends Zend_Db_Table_Abstract {
    ...
    protected $_columnMap = array("wantedName"=>"realName");
    ...
}

Then package Zend_Db_Table will provide complete translation in all operations, since get and set to translation in clause where in Zend_Db_Select.

6. Milestones / Tasks

Milestone 1: design notes will be published here
Milestone 2: Working prototype checked into the incubator supporting use cases #1, #2
Milestone 4: Unit tests exist, work, and are checked into SVN.
Milestone 5: Initial documentation exists.

7. Class Index

Zend_Db_Table_Abstract
Zend_Db_Table_Row_Abstract
Zend_Db_Table_Rowset_Abstract

8. Use Cases

UC-01

Map column by the attribute call $_columnMap.

Table Person:

create table person (
   id int not null auto_increment,
   f_name varchar(255),
   l_name varchar(255),
   primary key(id)
)

class Person extends Zend_Db_Table_Abstract {

    protected $_name = "person";
    protected $_primary = "id";

    protected $_clumnMap = array("firstName"=>"f_name","lastName"=>"l_name");

Using get and set.

$personTable = new Person();
$person = $personTable->createRow();
$person->firstName = "Fernando";
$person->lastName = "Chucre";
$id = $person->save();

$person = $personTable->find($id)->current();
echo $person->firstName; // print Fernando;

UC-02

Using column translation in $where(Zend_Db_Select_Abstract)

$personTable = new Person();

$people = $personTable->fetchAll($personTable->select()->where("firstName = ?","Fernando"));

if ($people)
{
	$person = $people->current();
	echo $person->firstName; //print Fernando
}

9. Class Skeletons

...

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