Zend Framework: Using separate layouts per module

Someone was recently asking on ZFTalk about how to use a different layout for each module in your application. Since this is a problem I’ve dealt with in the past and planned on adding to the Galahad FE, I thought I’d quickly write up a tutorial on how to do it:

First, download the Plugin

Put the following class in a library/Galahad/Controller/Plugin/Modularlayout.php file (you’ll probably have to create all those directories and the file).

<?php
/**
* This file is part of the Galahad Framework Extension.
*
* The Galahad Framework Extension is free software: you can redistribute
* it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
* as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
* License, or (at your option) any later version.
*
* The Galahad Framework Extension is distributed in the hope that it will
* be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty
* of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
* General Public License for more details.
*
* @category  Galahad
* @package   Galahad
* @copyright Copyright (c) 2009 Chris Morrell <http://cmorrell.com>
* @license   GPL <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
* @version   0.2
*/

/**
* Use separate layout per module
*
* @category   Galahad
* @package    Galahad
* @copyright  Copyright (c) 2009 Chris Morrell <http://cmorrell.com>
* @license    GPL <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
*/
class Galahad_Controller_Plugin_Modularlayout extends Zend_Controller_Plugin_Abstract
{
     public function routeShutdown(Zend_Controller_Request_Abstract $request)
     {
          Zend_Layout::getMvcInstance()->setLayout($request->getModuleName());
     }
}

Next, add the Galahad namespace

Update your Bootstrap.php file’s autoloader initialization method (if you don’t have one, add one):

protected function _initAutoloaders()
{
	$this->getApplication()->setAutoloaderNamespaces(array('Galahad_'));
	return $this;
}

Please note: You might need to have other namespaces in there, like My_ or App_ or Default_.

Next, add the Plugin

Update your Bootstrap.php file’s plugin initialization method (if you don’t have one, add one):

protected function _initPlugins()
{
	$this->bootstrap('autoloaders');
	$this->bootstrap('frontController');

	$plugin = new Galahad_Controller_Plugin_Modularlayout();
        $this->frontController->registerPlugin($plugin);
}

And you’re set!

Just make sure you have a layout file in your layouts directory for each module (modulename.phtml).

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