Re: coding practices with models

I feel the same way sometimes. It is tempting to use model methods as
$record->method() in a way similar to an object-based ORM (e.g. Rails,
where class methods are used for finding and instance methods are used
for record manipulation).

But the way Cake works it is a bit dangerous and I would recommend
following John's advice.

/Martin

On Dec 28, 1:39 pm, John Andersen <j.andersen...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I use the model class as the maintainer of the individual record and
> the provider of a collection of records.
>
> So in your banana example, my model would know what to do when a
> controller stated that peeling the banana was required :)
>
> Whether or not to read the banana into the model depends on the
> situation you are in - is the banana currently being viewed, then the
> model already has the banana - but if the banana was just one of many
> selected by the user for peeling, then the model would need to be
> provided with the id of the banana to peel, read it from the database
> and then peel it :)
>
> I would not let the controller know whether to read the banana in the
> model, that is the models responsibility, to ensure that the correct
> banana is being peeled :) - so the controller would just provide the
> id to the model through the peel method and the model compares whether
> the current banana is the requested one!
>
> I usually separate the model methods into those that works with an
> individual record and those that work with a collection of records.
>
> On Dec 28, 4:14 am, Christian <cdamiani...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > When i come across situations that I feel needs to be coded inside the
> > model I'm not sure whether (form the perspective of the controller or
> > a different model) to treat a model as an object, or just as a
> > collection of class methods.
>
> > For example:
>
> > If I want to peel a banana..
>
> > Is it correct to instantiate the Banana
> > $this->Banana->read(null,$id);
>
> > and then call the method
> > $this->Banana->peel();
>
> > and in banana.php:
> > function peel() {
> >    //since this method was called on a specific instance
> >    //it should have access to it's private variables (tuple from the
> > database)
>
> > }
>
> > OR do i just call the method on the id and sort that out in the model
>
> > $this->Banana->peel($id);
>
> > then...
> > function peel($id) {
> >    //need to instantiate the banana first before we can operate on it
> >   $this->Banana->read(null,$id);
>
> > }
>
> > I'm curious about the practices of some of you regular cakers.
> > thanks

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