Parameterizable

• Using parameters
  • getParameters()
  • setPropertyParameters($values)
  • Remove or set a specific attribute
  • The save entity method
  • What does isParameterizable() do?
• Using a Custom Column
• Available Formats
• Format
  • Define the Column Format
• Summary

Parameterizable is a database behavior, it allows you to define custom attributes for an entity. The behavior provides an API to get and set the attributes. Ultimately, the attributes get serialised into a single database field.

This approach follows the Entity Attribute Value (EAV) data model. The EAV pattern allows for the storing of a flexible set of attributes about an entity. Traditionally, EAV does this by using an extra table with three columns: entity, attribute, and value. Each attribute gets its own line in that table. This approach be bulky and makes retrieving data more complicated. Parameterizable follows the EAV model, but stores the attributes along with the entity itself.

Using parameters

The Parameterizable API provides both getParameters and setPropertyParameters methods to interact with the data in the database column.

getParameters()

The data from the column gets unserialized and cached in the $_parameters property of the behavior object. That object gets returned as a KObjectConfig instance in the defined format.

Here is an example usage that gets the parameters:

<?
if($bar->isParameterizable()) {
    $parameters = $bar->getParameters();
}

setPropertyParameters($values)

The setPropertyParameters merges the incoming values. Merging preserves attributes that exists already in the $_parameters object. Only attributes that are set in the $values input will be overwritten.

<?
$bar->setPropertyParameters(array(‘more’ => ‘This param gets merged’, ‘foo’ => ‘This is my overridden Foo Param’));`

Remove or set a specific attribute

To unset a specific value, use the KObjectConfig::remove($name), or KObjectConfig::offsetUnset($name) methods, e.g. :

<?
$bar->getParameters()->remove(‘foo’) ;

There are a few ways to add or set an attribute in the $_parameters property. Each of these produces the exact same effect:

<?
$bar->getParameters()->offsetSet($offset, $value);
$bar->getParameters()->set($name, $value)
$bar->getParameters()->name = $value;

The save entity method

The example $bar variable is an entity row object. $bar->save() triggers either an insert or update on the bars table object. Parameterizable both _beforeInsert and _beforeInsert. These handle the conversion of the $_parameters object to a formatted string . That string is then stored in the parameters field of the database.

What does isParameterizable() do?

<?
if($bar->isParameterizable()) {
   $params =   $bar->getParameters();
}

The isParameterizable() method is a virtual method. The inclusion of a row object's database behaviors are all testable with this pattern:

is[Behaviorname]

These virtual methods all function as a result of the KDatabaseRowAbstract magic __call method. When invoked it :

• checks whether the table object has the particular behavior.
• if so, it loads the behavior object at runtime
• adds the behavior's mixable methods to the row objects interface, e.g. getParameters()

If a behavior object has not been loaded and mixed in, its methods are not available. Calling $bar->getParameters() would result in a thrown BadMethodCallException.

Using a Custom Column

<?
class ComAcmeDatabaseBehaviorParameterizable extends KDatabaseParameterizable
{
    function _initialize(KObjectConfig $config)
    {
        $config->append(array(
            'column' => 'settings' // or whatever column name you want
        ));
        parent::_initialize($config);
    }
}

The table column used to store the parameters gets specified in the object configuration. In the _initialize method, the default is 'parameters'. You are free to use any column name. In the example above the settings column will be used.

A custom column name will add a new virtual get method to the row object's interface. This method has the same function as getParameters. With the column name defined as 'settings' you can call getSettings:

$bar->getSettings(); // passes through to $bar->getParameters();

Technical Tip : Use blob as your column type if you are storing a large amount of data. It has a much higher compression ratio than text.

You can also the framework bootstrapper to configure the example object. In that case no specialised class for your component. Do this by creating a resources/config/bootstrapper.php file in your component and adding the following:

<?
return array(
    'identifiers' => array(
        'com://site/acme.database.behavior.parameterizable => array('column' => 'settings')
    )
);

Available Formats

There are many formats available for storing data in your column. The following are currently supported:

• php (will store the data as PHP arrays)
• yaml
• xml
• ini
• json

Format

The getParameters call returns an KObjectConfigFormat object, an extension of KObjectConfig.

The format class used depends on what filter the table object has specified for that column. If no filter exists for that column then the type attribute of the table object’s schema.

Define the Column Format

<?
class ComAcmeDatabaseTableBars extends KDatabaseTableAbstract
    {
    function _initialize(KObjectConfig $config)
    {
        $config->append(array(
            'filters' => array('parameters'   => array('json')
        ));
        parent::_initialize($config);
    }
}

Column filter formats gets defined in the table object. The filters setting in the $config variable takes an array of column names. Each of these can have an array of filter formats. Those filters process data before it gets written to the table column.

Your column format gets defined by the presence of a filter assigned to that column. If a column has no filter, the parameterizable behavior will use JSON.

Summary

• Make sure that Parameterizable gets included and mixed in with isParameterizable
• Using a custom column results in a new virtual get method.
• Parameterizable asks the table object for the filter which gets applied to that column. The filter or the type property of the column schema defines the format.
• To define format other than JSON, set the table object filters.
• The format lets getParameters() know how to serialise and unserialise your data.