ZenGate

What is it?

It's a node-CLI utility written in TypeScript for generating TableGateway classes and definitions from an existing database table.

Why is it?

Whilst writing Zend Framework 2+ applications, we've found the same drudgery over and over again when creating database classes. They're basically the same with different field names.

Neil wrote it in JavaScript to run on Node - oh how we laughed at the callback hell. Neil re-wrote it in TypeScript and tidied it up a bit. Taking out profanities mainly.

Isn't it just a glorified templating mechanism?

Yes, but it has the following useful features:

• A definitions generator. Include this in your project and let your IDE help you complete your columns names. Typo's banished!
• Switches between MySQL and PostGreSQL
• Also generates a chunk of PHP to stick in your Module.php->getServiceConfig array to your nice new definition is ready to use from the service manager.

What do I need?

You'll need nodejs; we developed in v6.0 LTS on Ubuntu 16.04 https://nodejs.org/en/download/ It comes with npm - the package manager.

How do I use it?

• Add your databases to settings/dbconfig.json - We tend to develop on Vagrant machines for consistency so we put the definitions in there.

Here's an example:

{
    "riskmanagement": {
        "type": "pg",
        "server": "192.168.77.2",
        "port": "5432",
        "username": "rmuser",
        "password": "verycomplexpassword",
        "dbname": "RMManage"
    },
    "steeldb": {
        "type": "mysql",
        "server": "192.168.77.3",
        "port": "3306",
        "username": "root",
        "password": "anotherjollycomplexpassword",
        "dbname": "SteelStock"
    },
    "default": "riskmanagement",
    "author": "NeilDOTSmith@WebTargetDOTcoANDANOTHERDOTuk",
    "fileroot" : "../settings/PHPTemplates/",
    "outputfolder" : "../output/"
}

Notice that each database definition block has a name riskmanagement & steeldb. The default field picks one to use if it's not specified on the command line.

I just want to run it.

As you have node installed, cd dist and type node ZenGate.js --help to see the options.

Most of the options are for overriding the settings in settings/dbconfig.json. If your settings are configured correctly, then the minimum you'll need is the table name.

Your command for the Albums table would be

• nodejs ZenGate.js -t Albums

Using the example config, the table Albums would have it's entities created in the /output/Albums folder.

My table has a horrible name, Help!

For those of use who prefix our database entities with things like "t_" for tables and "vw_" for views can rejoice. Use the -a (for alias) flag. Insetad of your entites being created as deft_User.php and t_userTable.php, we can have prettier names:

node ZenGate.js -t t_albums -a Albums

My namepace isn't Application, Help!

node ZenGate.js -t t_albums -a Albums -n Vinyls

My name isn't Neil, Help!

node ZenGate.js -t t_albums -a Albums -n Vinyls -u Homer.J.Simpson@BigCorp.com

I am amazing. I want to fiddle and burn build.

Install TypeScript

• npm install -g typescript

Install the node_modules that you'll need.

• npm install

On the command line:

• webpack --progress --colors --watch

Webpack will watch the folder for changes and overwrite the ./dist/ZenGate.js file.

But what about....

It is a rough and ready implementation - there are no tests. In our example that we use internally at WebTarget.co.uk a couple of the classes inherit from some base functionality.