J3.x:Developing an MVC Component/Adding backend actions
From Joomla! Documentation
< J3.x:Developing an MVC Component
Articles in This Series
- Introduction
- Developing a Basic Component
- Adding a View to the Site Part
- Adding a Menu Type to the Site Part
- Adding a Model to the Site Part
- Adding a Variable Request in the Menu Type
- Using the Database
- Basic Backend
- Adding Language Management
- Adding Backend Actions
- Adding Decorations to the Backend
- Adding Verifications
- Adding Categories
- Adding Configuration
- Adding ACL
- Adding an Install/Uninstall/Update Script File
- Adding a Frontend Form
- Adding an Image
- Adding a Map
- Adding AJAX
- Adding an Alias
- Using the Language Filter Facility
- Adding a Modal
- Adding Associations
- Adding Checkout
- Adding Ordering
- Adding Levels
- Adding Versioning
- Adding Tags
- Adding Access
- Adding a Batch Process
- Adding Cache
- Adding a Feed
- Adding an Update Server
- Adding Custom Fields
- Upgrading to Joomla4
This is a multiple-article series of tutorials on how to develop a Model-View-Controller Component for Joomla! Version
.
Begin with the Introduction, and navigate the articles in this series by using the navigation button at the bottom or the box to the right (the Articles in this series).
Introduction
This tutorial is part of the Developing an MVC Component for Joomla! 3.2 tutorial. You are encouraged to read the previous parts of the tutorial before reading this.
There is a series of 5 videos associated with this step in the tutorial, covering (1) Changes to the Helloworlds view and layout, (2) Handling Deletes, and then three on the functionality required to support New and Edit: (3) Handling New/Edit Redirect, (4) Display the Helloworld message editing form and (5) Handling Save and Cancel.
In conjunction with this step, you will probably find it useful to read this description of Joomla's implementation of MVC
Adding a toolbar
In Joomla, the administrator interacts generally with components through the use of a toolbar. In the file admin/views/helloworlds/view.html.php put this content. It will create a basic toolbar and a title for the component.
The arguments used in, for example, JToolbarHelper::addNew is used to set a controller instance which will be used after button is clicked. Further details below in the adding specific controllers section.
admin/views/helloworlds/view.html.php
<?php
/**
* @package Joomla.Administrator
* @subpackage com_helloworld
*
* @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 - 2018 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
* @license GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
*/
// No direct access to this file
defined('_JEXEC') or die('Restricted access');
/**
* HelloWorlds View
*
* @since 0.0.1
*/
class HelloWorldViewHelloWorlds extends JViewLegacy
{
/**
* Display the Hello World view
*
* @param string $tpl The name of the template file to parse; automatically searches through the template paths.
*
* @return void
*/
function display($tpl = null)
{
// Get data from the model
$this->items = $this->get('Items');
$this->pagination = $this->get('Pagination');
// Check for errors.
if (count($errors = $this->get('Errors')))
{
JError::raiseError(500, implode('<br />', $errors));
return false;
}
// Set the toolbar
$this->addToolBar();
// Display the template
parent::display($tpl);
}
/**
* Add the page title and toolbar.
*
* @return void
*
* @since 1.6
*/
protected function addToolBar()
{
JToolbarHelper::title(JText::_('COM_HELLOWORLD_MANAGER_HELLOWORLDS'));
JToolbarHelper::addNew('helloworld.add');
JToolbarHelper::editList('helloworld.edit');
JToolbarHelper::deleteList('', 'helloworlds.delete');
}
}
You can find other classic backend actions in the administrator/includes/toolbar.php file of your Joomla installation.
Since the view can perform some actions, we have to add some input data. With your favourite file manager and editor, put in the file admin/views/helloworlds/tmpl/default.php
admin/views/helloworlds/tmpl/default.php
<?php
/**
* @package Joomla.Administrator
* @subpackage com_helloworld
*
* @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 - 2018 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
* @license GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
*/
// No direct access to this file
defined('_JEXEC') or die('Restricted Access');
?>
<form action="index.php?option=com_helloworld&view=helloworlds" method="post" id="adminForm" name="adminForm">
<table class="table table-striped table-hover">
<thead>
<tr>
<th width="1%"><?php echo JText::_('COM_HELLOWORLD_NUM'); ?></th>
<th width="2%">
<?php echo JHtml::_('grid.checkall'); ?>
</th>
<th width="90%">
<?php echo JText::_('COM_HELLOWORLD_HELLOWORLDS_NAME') ;?>
</th>
<th width="5%">
<?php echo JText::_('COM_HELLOWORLD_PUBLISHED'); ?>
</th>
<th width="2%">
<?php echo JText::_('COM_HELLOWORLD_ID'); ?>
</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td colspan="5">
<?php echo $this->pagination->getListFooter(); ?>
</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<?php if (!empty($this->items)) : ?>
<?php foreach ($this->items as $i => $row) :
$link = JRoute::_('index.php?option=com_helloworld&task=helloworld.edit&id=' . $row->id);
?>
<tr>
<td><?php echo $this->pagination->getRowOffset($i); ?></td>
<td>
<?php echo JHtml::_('grid.id', $i, $row->id); ?>
</td>
<td>
<a href="<?php echo $link; ?>" title="<?php echo JText::_('COM_HELLOWORLD_EDIT_HELLOWORLD'); ?>">
<?php echo $row->greeting; ?>
</a>
</td>
<td align="center">
<?php echo JHtml::_('jgrid.published', $row->published, $i, 'helloworlds.', true, 'cb'); ?>
</td>
<td align="center">
<?php echo $row->id; ?>
</td>
</tr>
<?php endforeach; ?>
<?php endif; ?>
</tbody>
</table>
<input type="hidden" name="task" value=""/>
<input type="hidden" name="boxchecked" value="0"/>
<?php echo JHtml::_('form.token'); ?>
</form>
The underscore function of JRoute is used so that the site displays SEF URLs; see Supporting SEF URLs in your component.
The "task" field is used to define the controller.task parameter which will be sent to the server in the POST request when the form is submitted.
The "boxchecked" field is used to keep track of the number of checkboxes ticked.
Using the form token helps prevent CSRF attacks.
Adding specific controllers
Three actions have been added:
- helloworlds.delete
- helloworld.edit
- helloworld.add
These are compound tasks (controller.task). So two new controllers HelloWorldControllerHelloWorlds and HelloWorldControllerHelloWorld have to be coded. (To understand the difference between the two types of subcontrollers read more in this article: subcontrollers...).
admin/controllers/helloworlds.php
<?php
/**
* @package Joomla.Administrator
* @subpackage com_helloworld
*
* @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 - 2018 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
* @license GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
*/
// No direct access to this file
defined('_JEXEC') or die('Restricted access');
/**
* HelloWorlds Controller
*
* @since 0.0.1
*/
class HelloWorldControllerHelloWorlds extends JControllerAdmin
{
/**
* Proxy for getModel.
*
* @param string $name The model name. Optional.
* @param string $prefix The class prefix. Optional.
* @param array $config Configuration array for model. Optional.
*
* @return object The model.
*
* @since 1.6
*/
public function getModel($name = 'HelloWorld', $prefix = 'HelloWorldModel', $config = array('ignore_request' => true))
{
$model = parent::getModel($name, $prefix, $config);
return $model;
}
}
admin/controllers/helloworld.php
<?php
/**
* @package Joomla.Administrator
* @subpackage com_helloworld
*
* @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 - 2018 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
* @license GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
*/
// No direct access to this file
defined('_JEXEC') or die('Restricted access');
/**
* HelloWorld Controller
*
* @package Joomla.Administrator
* @subpackage com_helloworld
* @since 0.0.9
*/
class HelloWorldControllerHelloWorld extends JControllerForm
{
}
Adding an editing view
With your favourite file manager and editor, put a file admin/views/helloworld/view.html.php containing:
admin/views/helloworld/view.html.php
<?php
/**
* @package Joomla.Administrator
* @subpackage com_helloworld
*
* @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 - 2018 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
* @license GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
*/
// No direct access to this file
defined('_JEXEC') or die('Restricted access');
/**
* HelloWorld View
*
* @since 0.0.1
*/
class HelloWorldViewHelloWorld extends JViewLegacy
{
/**
* View form
*
* @var form
*/
protected $form = null;
/**
* Display the Hello World view
*
* @param string $tpl The name of the template file to parse; automatically searches through the template paths.
*
* @return void
*/
public function display($tpl = null)
{
// Get the Data
$this->form = $this->get('Form');
$this->item = $this->get('Item');
// Check for errors.
if (count($errors = $this->get('Errors')))
{
JError::raiseError(500, implode('<br />', $errors));
return false;
}
// Set the toolbar
$this->addToolBar();
// Display the template
parent::display($tpl);
}
/**
* Add the page title and toolbar.
*
* @return void
*
* @since 1.6
*/
protected function addToolBar()
{
$input = JFactory::getApplication()->input;
// Hide Joomla Administrator Main menu
$input->set('hidemainmenu', true);
$isNew = ($this->item->id == 0);
if ($isNew)
{
$title = JText::_('COM_HELLOWORLD_MANAGER_HELLOWORLD_NEW');
}
else
{
$title = JText::_('COM_HELLOWORLD_MANAGER_HELLOWORLD_EDIT');
}
JToolbarHelper::title($title, 'helloworld');
JToolbarHelper::save('helloworld.save');
JToolbarHelper::cancel(
'helloworld.cancel',
$isNew ? 'JTOOLBAR_CANCEL' : 'JTOOLBAR_CLOSE'
);
}
}
This view will display data using a layout.
Put a file admin/views/helloworld/tmpl/edit.php containing:
admin/views/helloworld/tmpl/edit.php
<?php
/**
* @package Joomla.Administrator
* @subpackage com_helloworld
*
* @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 - 2018 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
* @license GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
*/
// No direct access
defined('_JEXEC') or die('Restricted access');
?>
<form action="<?php echo JRoute::_('index.php?option=com_helloworld&layout=edit&id=' . (int) $this->item->id); ?>"
method="post" name="adminForm" id="adminForm">
<div class="form-horizontal">
<fieldset class="adminform">
<legend><?php echo JText::_('COM_HELLOWORLD_HELLOWORLD_DETAILS'); ?></legend>
<div class="row-fluid">
<div class="span6">
<?php
foreach($this->form->getFieldset() as $field) {
echo $field->renderField();
}
?>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
</div>
<input type="hidden" name="task" value="helloworld.edit" />
<?php echo JHtml::_('form.token'); ?>
</form>
Adding a model and modifying the existing one
The HelloWorldViewHelloWorld view asks form and data from a model. This model has to provide a getTable, a getForm method and a loadData method (called from the JModelAdmin controller).
admin/models/helloworld.php
<?php
/**
* @package Joomla.Administrator
* @subpackage com_helloworld
*
* @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 - 2018 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
* @license GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
*/
// No direct access to this file
defined('_JEXEC') or die('Restricted access');
/**
* HelloWorld Model
*
* @since 0.0.1
*/
class HelloWorldModelHelloWorld extends JModelAdmin
{
/**
* Method to get a table object, load it if necessary.
*
* @param string $type The table name. Optional.
* @param string $prefix The class prefix. Optional.
* @param array $config Configuration array for model. Optional.
*
* @return JTable A JTable object
*
* @since 1.6
*/
public function getTable($type = 'HelloWorld', $prefix = 'HelloWorldTable', $config = array())
{
return JTable::getInstance($type, $prefix, $config);
}
/**
* Method to get the record form.
*
* @param array $data Data for the form.
* @param boolean $loadData True if the form is to load its own data (default case), false if not.
*
* @return mixed A JForm object on success, false on failure
*
* @since 1.6
*/
public function getForm($data = array(), $loadData = true)
{
// Get the form.
$form = $this->loadForm(
'com_helloworld.helloworld',
'helloworld',
array(
'control' => 'jform',
'load_data' => $loadData
)
);
if (empty($form))
{
return false;
}
return $form;
}
/**
* Method to get the data that should be injected in the form.
*
* @return mixed The data for the form.
*
* @since 1.6
*/
protected function loadFormData()
{
// Check the session for previously entered form data.
$data = JFactory::getApplication()->getUserState(
'com_helloworld.edit.helloworld.data',
array()
);
if (empty($data))
{
$data = $this->getItem();
}
return $data;
}
}
This model inherits from the JModelAdmin class and uses its loadForm method. This method searches for forms in the forms folder. With your favourite file manager and editor, put a file admin/models/forms/helloworld.xml containing:
admin/models/forms/helloworld.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<form>
<fieldset>
<field
name="id"
type="hidden"
/>
<field
name="greeting"
type="text"
label="COM_HELLOWORLD_HELLOWORLD_GREETING_LABEL"
description="COM_HELLOWORLD_HELLOWORLD_GREETING_DESC"
size="40"
class="inputbox"
default=""
/>
</fieldset>
</form>
Note: COM_HELLOWORLD_HELLOWORLD_GREETING_LABEL and COM_HELLOWORLD_HELLOWORLD_GREETING_DESC are an alias for COM_HELLOWORLD_HELLOWORLD_FIELD_GREETING_LABEL and COM_HELLOWORLD_HELLOWORLD_FIELD_GREETING_DESC respectively.
Here we are using different label and description to convey two different meanings in two different sections, but they can be easily kept equal.
Packaging the component
Content of your code directory
- helloworld.xml
- site/helloworld.php
- site/index.html
- site/controller.php
- site/views/index.html
- site/views/helloworld/index.html
- site/views/helloworld/view.html.php
- site/views/helloworld/tmpl/index.html
- site/views/helloworld/tmpl/default.xml
- site/views/helloworld/tmpl/default.php
- site/models/index.html
- site/models/helloworld.php
- site/language/index.html
- site/language/en-GB/index.html
- site/language/en-GB/en-GB.com_helloworld.ini
- admin/index.html
- admin/helloworld.php
- admin/controller.php
- admin/sql/index.html
- admin/sql/install.mysql.utf8.sql
- admin/sql/uninstall.mysql.utf8.sql
- admin/sql/updates/index.html
- admin/sql/updates/mysql/index.html
- admin/sql/updates/mysql/0.0.1.sql
- admin/sql/updates/mysql/0.0.6.sql
- admin/models/index.html
- admin/models/fields/index.html
- admin/models/fields/helloworld.php
- admin/models/helloworlds.php
- admin/models/helloworld.php
- admin/models/forms/index.html
- admin/models/forms/helloworld.xml
- admin/controllers/helloworld.php
- admin/controllers/helloworlds.php
- admin/controllers/index.html
- admin/views/index.html
- admin/views/helloworld/index.html
- admin/views/helloworld/view.html.php
- admin/views/helloworld/tmpl/edit.php
- admin/views/helloworld/tmpl/index.html
- admin/views/helloworlds/index.html
- admin/views/helloworlds/view.html.php
- admin/views/helloworlds/tmpl/index.html
- admin/views/helloworlds/tmpl/default.php
- admin/tables/index.html
- admin/tables/helloworld.php
- admin/language/index.html
- admin/language/en-GB/index.html
- admin/language/en-GB/en-GB.com_helloworld.ini
- admin/language/en-GB/en-GB.com_helloworld.sys.ini
Create a compressed file of this directory or directly download the archive and install it using the extension manager of Joomla. You can add a menu item of this component using the menu manager in the backend.
helloworld.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<extension type="component" version="3.0" method="upgrade">
<name>COM_HELLOWORLD</name>
<!-- The following elements are optional and free of formatting constraints -->
<creationDate>January 2018</creationDate>
<author>John Doe</author>
<authorEmail>john.doe@example.org</authorEmail>
<authorUrl>http://www.example.org</authorUrl>
<copyright>Copyright Info</copyright>
<license>License Info</license>
<!-- The version string is recorded in the components table -->
<version>0.0.9</version>
<!-- The description is optional and defaults to the name -->
<description>COM_HELLOWORLD_DESCRIPTION</description>
<install> <!-- Runs on install -->
<sql>
<file driver="mysql" charset="utf8">sql/install.mysql.utf8.sql</file>
</sql>
</install>
<uninstall> <!-- Runs on uninstall -->
<sql>
<file driver="mysql" charset="utf8">sql/uninstall.mysql.utf8.sql</file>
</sql>
</uninstall>
<update> <!-- Runs on update; New since J2.5 -->
<schemas>
<schemapath type="mysql">sql/updates/mysql</schemapath>
</schemas>
</update>
<!-- Site Main File Copy Section -->
<!-- Note the folder attribute: This attribute describes the folder
to copy FROM in the package to install therefore files copied
in this section are copied from /site/ in the package -->
<files folder="site">
<filename>index.html</filename>
<filename>helloworld.php</filename>
<filename>controller.php</filename>
<folder>views</folder>
<folder>models</folder>
</files>
<languages folder="site/language">
<language tag="en-GB">en-GB/en-GB.com_helloworld.ini</language>
</languages>
<administration>
<!-- Administration Menu Section -->
<menu link='index.php?option=com_helloworld'>COM_HELLOWORLD_MENU</menu>
<!-- Administration Main File Copy Section -->
<!-- Note the folder attribute: This attribute describes the folder
to copy FROM in the package to install therefore files copied
in this section are copied from /admin/ in the package -->
<files folder="admin">
<!-- Admin Main File Copy Section -->
<filename>index.html</filename>
<filename>helloworld.php</filename>
<filename>controller.php</filename>
<!-- SQL files section -->
<folder>sql</folder>
<!-- tables files section -->
<folder>tables</folder>
<!-- models files section -->
<folder>models</folder>
<!-- views files section -->
<folder>views</folder>
<!-- controllers files section -->
<folder>controllers</folder>
</files>
<languages folder="admin/language">
<language tag="en-GB">en-GB/en-GB.com_helloworld.ini</language>
<language tag="en-GB">en-GB/en-GB.com_helloworld.sys.ini</language>
</languages>
</administration>
</extension>
Please create a pull request or issue at https://github.com/joomla/Joomla-3.2-Hello-World-Component for any code descprepancies or if editing any of the source code on this page.