Zend framework and Quickform

[illogix]

Hi,
I'm in the initial phase of a project that will have to be built on PHP and Oracle. I'm still in the inception phase but I'm starting to look at frameworks for the project.

I am almost settled on Propel as the ORM but I'm not sure about the MVC framework. I just need a simple framework that will provide me with a simple controller. Zend looks like the perfect match and Quickform could be of great use. The problem is that in Quickform you have to execute the submit (controller) after having defined the form (view). Is Quickform just not compatible with an MVC approach ?

[akrabat]

If you are going down the Propel route, have you looked at Symfony (http://www.symfony-project.com)?

[illogix]

Yes, I have looked at Symfony but I think it might me too complex. Do you have first hand experience with symphony with a data model that as a LOT of many-to-many associations ? Does it work good ?

[crashmakerMX]

1. Had the same problems with QuickForm once ago. What about encapsulating the complete form things?

(I don't know QuickForm very good anymore, just example code)

interface Form
{
    public function validate();
    public function render();
}

class MyForm implements Form
{

    private $form;    

    public function __construct()
    {
        $this->form = new HTML_QuickForm;
        $this->form->addField('...');
    }

    public function validate()
    {
        $this->form->submit();
    }

    public function render()
    {
        $this->form->render();
    }

} 

Then you call MyForm::validate() from the controller and MyForm::render() from the view.

2. Propel with many many-to-many relations?

3. akrabat, your Symfony link is broken.

[illogix]

Thanks for your reply.

It looks like a quite acceptable solution.

2. Propel with many many-to-many relations?

Doesn't propel support many-to-many ?

[crashmakerMX]

Doesn't propel support many-to-many ?

It does, but with extra work and more overhead.

[akrabat]

Yes, I have looked at Symfony but I think it might me too complex. Do you have first hand experience with symphony with a data model that as a LOT of many-to-many associations ? Does it work good ?

Nope, not used it first hand as I considered the Propel bit to be overkill for what I needed.

The rest of it is simple enough and there are reams of documentation on their site.

[illogix]

It does, but with extra work and more overhead.

I was aware of the overhead but it is still better than working with those many-to-many's in SQL. Also, Propel looks like the only PHP ORM to support Oracle.

My worries about the many-to-many's are more directed to Symfony. I don't think it can generate forms to manage those associations ?