miniMVC/README.md

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# miniMVC
miniMVC is a minimalistic Modular MVC framework, with built-in minifier, and pure-PHP templating system.
### Requirements
* PHP 5.4+
* PDO extensions for databases you wish to use
* Webserver that correctly handles REQUEST_URI, such as:
* Apache
* IIS
* Lighttpd
* SimpleTest library for running unit tests
### Unique features
#### Extensive use of PHP's magic methods on the base class
* `__toString()` method allows a view of the current class object when the current class object is used as a string. If you prefer `var_dump()` or `var_export()`, you can pass the name of that function if you call the `__toString` method directly.
Eg. `$this . "string"`, `$this->__toString()`, `echo $this`;
* `__call()` method allows the dynamic addition of callable closure objects
Eg. `$this->foo = function($baz){}` is callable as `$this->foo()`, with the current object as the last argument
* `MM` class extends ArrayObject, and all the main classes extend this class. Functions begining with `array_` are callable on object from this class. E.g. `$this->array_keys()` will return a list of the class properties.
#### Database class is an extension of PHP's PDO class.
Database class uses [Query](https://github.com/aviat4ion/Query) as a database abstraction layer and query builder.
Database connections are set in /app/config/db.php
### File Structure
* index.php - framework bootstrap
* app - configuration and app-wide files
* classes - helper classes
* config - configuration files
* modules - MVC triads
* controllers - controller classes
* models - model classes
* views - module-specific views
* views - global page templates
* errors - error page templates
* assets - frontend files
* js - javascript files
* css - css files
* config - minifier configuration files
* sys - core framework classes
### Common Tasks
* Creating a controller
<?php
class Foo extends miniMVC\Controller {
function __construct()
{
parent::__construct();
}
}
* Creating a model
<?php
class Bar extends miniMVC\Model {
function __construct()
{
parent::__construct();
}
}
* Loading a database
`$this->db = miniMVC\db::get_instance($db_name);`
Note that multiple databases can be used in the same class
by specifying a different database name.
* Loading a model (From a controller)
`$this->load_model($model)` - creates an instance of that model as a member of the current class. After loading the model, you can call its methods like so
`$this->[model name]->method()`
* Loading a class
Librarys / classes found in `app/classes` or `sys/libraries` are autoloaded.
To call a library, simply instantiate that class.
Classes with a `get_instance` static methods should be called like so:
`$obj =& miniMVC\class::get_instance()`
Other classes should be called using the new operator
`$obj = new miniMVC\class()`