How to print a group display individually from its content?

Question

I\'m using Zend Framework and Zend_Form to render my form. But as I found it hard to customize it, I decided to print elements individually.

Problem is, I don\'t kno

Answer 1

What you are looking for is the 'ViewScript' decorator. It allows you to form your html in any way you need. Here is a simple example of how it works:

The form, a simple search form:

createElement('text', 'query');
        // element options
        $query->setLabel('Search Keywords');
        $query->setAttribs(array('placeholder' => 'Query String',
            'size' => 27,
            ));
        // add the element to the form
        $this->addElement($query);
        //build submit button
        $submit = $this->createElement('submit', 'search');
        $submit->setLabel('Search Site');
        $this->addElement($submit);
    }
}

Next is the 'partial' this is the decorator, here is where you build the html how you want it:

    

        

            

            
                
element->query->renderViewHelper() ?>
            
            

            
                
element->search ?>
            
        
 
    

and finally the controller code:

public function preDispatch() {
        //I put this in the preDispatch method because I use it for every action and have it assigned to a placeholder.
        //initiate form
        $searchForm = new Application_Form_Search();
        //set form action
        $searchForm->setAction('/index/display');
        //set label for submit button
        $searchForm->search->setLabel('Search Collection');
        //I add the decorator partial here. The partial .phtml lives under /views/scripts
        $searchForm->setDecorators(array(
            array('ViewScript', array(
                    'viewScript' => '_searchForm.phtml'
            ))
        ));
        //assign the search form to the layout place holder
        //substitute $this->view->form = $form; for a normal action/view
        $this->_helper->layout()->search = $searchForm;
    }

display this form in your view script with the normal form ?>.

You can use this method for any form you want to build with Zend_Form. So adding any element to your own fieldset would be simple.