root/plugins/sfDoctrineActAsSerializablePlugin/trunk/README

sfDoctrineActAsSerializablePlugin
=============================

The `sfDoctrineActAsSerializablePlugin` plugin automates the handling of
serializable columns. Each time a __Serializable__ object is read from
the database, the appropriate columns are unserialized, each time it is
saved - the column values are seralized back.

Instalation
===========

Install the plugin via the subversion repository by executing the following
command from the project root directory:

    $ svn co http://svn.symfony-project.com/plugins/sfDoctrineActAsSerializablePlugin/trunk plugins/sfDoctrineActAsSerializablePlugin

or by using the default symfony plugin install command:

    $ ./symfony plugin:install sfDoctrineActAsSerializablePlugin


Usage
=====

You don't have to worry about (un)serializing data when reading the data from
and saving it to the database. Everything will be done automatically from now
on. It's extremely useful when you want to keep array values in the database.

    # Using global behavior will make no changes.

    Xxx:
      actAs:
        Serializable:
          fields: [ features, attributes ]
          column_suffix: _srlzd

Set the fields that are going to be serializable. Doctrine will create new
columns with their names concatenated with the `column_suffix`. In the above
example, the `Xxx` model woud have `features_srlzd` and `attributes_srlzd`
columns.

no postConstruct
----------------

The problem with Doctrine is that there can be no postConstuct hook called after
a new record is created. [The topic](http://groups.google.com/group/doctrine-user/browse_thread/thread/9e045b4e7bffec23?pli=1)
was started in 2009 and there has been no solution for the 1.x Doctrine branch
yet. Hence, the hook had to be done in a different way, unfortunately. Each
model that uses the Serializable behavior should have the construct method
implemented with one extra line, just as below:

  [php]
  class Xxx extends BaseXxx
  {
    public function construct()
    {
      parent::construct();
      Doctrine_Auxiliary_Tools::postConstruct($this);
    }
  }

The postConstruct method creates empty values for the serializable columns.

todo
----

 * fixtures

Thanks to
---------

Miko Väli, who was looking for the same Doctrine feature as I was and whose
question in the google groups made it clear that I have to overcome the problem
myself.

Comments, bug reports, suggestions
----------------------------------

If you want to comment on the plugin or suggest your ideas, please feel free to
mail me.