Zend_View comes with an initial set of helper classes, most of which relate to form element generation and perform the appropriate output escaping automatically. In addition, there are helpers for creating route-based URLs and HTML lists, as well as declaring variables. The currently shipped helpers include:

Using these in your view scripts is very easy, here is an example. Note that you all you need to do is call them; they will load and instantiate themselves as they are needed.

<?php
// inside your view script, $this refers to the Zend_View instance.
// 
// say that you have already assigned a series of select options under
// the name $countries as array('us' => 'United States', 'il' =>
// 'Israel', 'de' => 'Germany').
?>
<form action="action.php" method="post">
    <p><label>Your Email:
        <?php echo $this->formText('email', 'you@example.com', array('size' => 32)) ?>
    </label></p>
    <p><label>Your Country:
        <?php echo $this->formSelect('country', 'us', null, $this->countries) ?>
    </label></p>
    <p><label>Would you like to opt in?
        <?php echo $this->formCheckbox('opt_in', 'yes', null, array('yes', 'no')) ?>
    </label></p>
</form>
        

The resulting output from the view script will look something like this:

<form action="action.php" method="post">
    <p><label>Your Email:
        <input type="text" name="email" value="you@example.com" size="32" />
    </label></p>
    <p><label>Your Country:
        <select name="country">
            <option value="us" selected="selected">United States</option>
            <option value="il">Israel</option>
            <option value="de">Germany</option>
        </select>
    </label></p>
    <p><label>Would you like to opt in?
        <input type="hidden" name="opt_in" value="no" />
        <input type="checkbox" name="opt_in" value="yes" checked="checked" />
    </label></p>
</form>
        

As with view scripts, your controller can specify a stack of paths for Zend_View to search for helper classes. By default, Zend_View looks in "Zend/View/Helper/*" for helper classes. You can tell Zend_View to look in other locations using the setHelperPath() and addHelperPath() methods. Additionally, you can indicate a class prefix to use for helpers in the path provided, to allow namespacing your helper classes. By default, if no class prefix is provided, 'Zend_View_Helper_' is assumed.

<?php
$view = new Zend_View();

// Set path to /path/to/more/helpers, with previs 'My_View_Helper'
$view->setHelperPath('/path/to/more/helpers', 'My_View_Helper');
?>
        

In fact, you can "stack" paths using the addHelperPath() method. As you add paths to the stack, Zend_View will look at the most-recently-added path for the requested helper class. This allows you to add to (or even override) the initial distribution of helpers with your own custom helpers.

<?php
$view = new Zend_View();
// Add /path/to/some/helpers with class prefix 'My_View_Helper'
$view->addHelperPath('/path/to/some/helpers', 'My_View_Helper);
// Add /other/path/to/helpers with class prefix 'Your_View_Helper'
$view->addHelperPath('/other/path/to/helpers', 'Your_View_Helper');

// now when you call $this->helperName(), Zend_View will look first for
// "/other/path/to/helpers/HelperName.php" using class name "My_View_Helper_HelperName", 
// then for "/path/to/some/helpers/HelperName" using class name "Your_View_Helper_HelperName", 
// and finally for "Zend/View/Helper/HelperName.php" using class name "Zend_View_Helper_HelperName".
?>
        

Writing custom helpers is easy; just follow these rules:

Place the helper class file somewhere in your helper path stack, and Zend_View will automatically load, instantiate, persist, and execute it for you.

Here is an example of our SpecialPurpose helper code:

<?php
class My_View_Helper_SpecialPurpose 
{
    protected $_count = 0;
    public function specialPurpose()
    {
        $this->_count++;
        $output = "I have seen 'The Jerk' {$this->_count} time(s).";
        return htmlspecialchars($output);
    }
}
?>
        

Then in a view script, you can call the SpecialPurpose helper as many times as you like; it will be instantiated once, and then it persists for the life of that Zend_View instance.

<?php
// remember, in a view script, $this refers to the Zend_View instance.
echo $this->specialPurpose();
echo $this->specialPurpose();
echo $this->specialPurpose();
?>
        

The output would look something like this:

I have seen 'The Jerk' 1 time(s).
I have seen 'The Jerk' 2 time(s).
I have seen 'The Jerk' 3 time(s).
        

Sometimes you will need access to the calling Zend_View object -- for instance, if you need to use the registered encoding, or want to render another view script as part of your helper. To get access to the view object, your helper class should have a setView($view) method, like the following:

<?php
class My_View_Helper_ScriptPath
{
    public $view;

    public function setView(Zend_View_Interface $view)
    {
        $this->view = $view;
    }

    public function scriptPath($script)
    {
        return $this->view->getScriptPath($script);
    }
}
?>

If your helper class has a setView() method, it will be called when the helper class is first instantiated, and passed the current view object. It is up to you to persist the object in your class, as well as determine how it should be accessed.