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Zend Views

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What is a View in Zend?

A View is a .phtml file that handles how data is presented to the user. It's part of the MVC architecture (Model-View-Controller).

  • Controller sends data
  • View renders it as HTML

View File Structure

Typically, views are stored in:

module/
└── Application/
    └── view/
        └── application/
            └── controller-name/
                └── action-name.phtml


🔹 Example: View for AboutController@indexAction

/module/Application/view/application/about/index.phtml

Displaying Variables

From Controller:

return new ViewModel([
  'title' => 'About Us',
  'year' => 2025
]);


In .phtml file:

<h1><?= $this->title ?></h1>
<p>Copyright © <?= $this->year ?></p>

Looping in Views

<ul>
  <?php foreach ($this->users as $user): ?>
    <li><?= $user['name'] ?> - <?= $user['email'] ?></li>
  <?php endforeach; ?>
</ul>


Zend View Helpers

View Helpers are mini-classes that encapsulate common logic for use in views.

  • Accessed with $this->helperName() inside a .phtml file.
  • No need to write raw logic again and again.
  • They keep view files clean, modular, and secure.


1. doctype() & headTitle()

Code:

<?= $this->doctype('HTML5') ?>
<?= $this->headTitle('My Page Title') ?>


Output in Browser:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<title>My Page Title</title>

2. headMeta()

Code:

<?= $this->headMeta()->appendName('viewport', 'width=device-width, initial-scale=1') ?>


Output:

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">

3. headLink() for Stylesheets

Code:

<?= $this->headLink()->appendStylesheet($this->basePath('css/style.css')) ?>


Output:

<link href="/css/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">

4. headScript() for JS in <head>

Code:

<?= $this->headScript()->appendFile($this->basePath('js/head.js')) ?>


Output:

<script src="/js/head.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

5. inlineScript() for JS in <body> end

Code:

<?= $this->inlineScript()->appendFile($this->basePath('js/footer.js')) ?>


Output:

<script src="/js/footer.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

6. escapeHtml()

Code:

<?php $x = "<b>Hello</b>"; ?>
<p>Escaped: <?= $this->escapeHtml($x) ?></p>


Output:

<p>Escaped: &lt;b&gt;Hello&lt;/b&gt;</p>

7. basePath() for Static Assets

Code:

<img src="<?= $this->basePath('images/logo.png') ?>">


Output:

<img src="/images/logo.png">

8. url() – Route Generator

Assume Route Name = home

Code:

<a href="<?= $this->url('home') ?>">Home</a>


Output:

<a href="/">Home</a>

9. form() Full HTML Demo

PHP Controller

$form = new Laminas\Form\Form();
$form->add(['name' => 'email', 'type' => 'Email']);
$form->add(['name' => 'submit', 'type' => 'Submit', 'attributes' => ['value' => 'Send']]);


View Code:

<?= $this->form()->openTag($form) ?>
  <?= $this->formElement($form->get('email')) ?>
  <?= $this->formElement($form->get('submit')) ?>
<?= $this->form()->closeTag() ?>


Output:

<form method="post" action="">
  <input type="email" name="email">
  <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Send">
</form>

10. partial() – Include Template

header.phtml

<h2><?= $this->escapeHtml($title) ?></h2>


Main View:

<?= $this->partial('partial/header.phtml', ['title' => 'Hello']) ?>


Output:

<h2>Hello</h2>

11. partialLoop() – Render List of Data

user-row.phtml

<li><?= $this->name ?> - <?= $this->email ?></li>


Main View:

<ul>
  <?= $this->partialLoop('partial/user-row.phtml', [
    ['name' => 'Sam', 'email' => 'sam@example.com'],
    ['name' => 'Raj', 'email' => 'raj@example.com']
  ]) ?>
</ul>


Output:

<ul>
    <li>Sam - sam@example.com</li>
    <li>Raj - raj@example.com</li>
</ul>

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