Question about extending default models, controllers, etc

[ChrisStatzer]

While I have a fairly good grasp of the structure of XF, I am primarily a python developer so I really have no good sense of "right and wrong" so to speak. I can look at something in Python and say "OMG thats crap!", but php not so much.

I am busy adding a thread rating system (you know the ones, with the little JS stars) and wanted to extend the Thread model. Here was my approach:

<?php

class ThreadRating_Model_ThreadRating extends XenForo_Model_Thread
{
    public function prepareThread(array $thread, array $forum, array $nodePermissions = null, array $viewingUser = null) {
        $thread = parent::prepareThread($thread, $forum, $nodePermissions, $viewingUser);
        $thread['rating'] = 2; /* code to fetch avg rating here */
        return $thread;
    }

}

This looks like dammit to me.... Is this intended usage? It works fine. School me please.

Chris

 

[Deceptor]

Looks right to me You just need to extend the class through a code listener which I presume you've done?

 

[ChrisStatzer]

Oh yeah, its all functional etc. Just wanted to make sure my use of parent and manipulating the return value was cool.
Chris

 

[Deceptor]

Yep everything there is fine. Just think of it as: Fetch -> Manipulate -> Return

 

[ChrisStatzer]

Exactly what I would do in Python so I feel a lot better about it now

Chris

 

[ragtek]

Chris are you working on an thread rate add-on?
Would you pls share this with us?

 

[Indigo]

Technically, it should extend XFCP_ThreadRating_Model_ThreadRating. Otherwise, if someone installs another addon that extends the thread model, then installs yours (if your code listener executes last), it would skip over the other addon's extension.

How it would execute:

class XFCP_OtherAddon_Model_Thread extends XenForo_Model_Thread {} // generated
class OtherAddon_Model_Thread extends XFCP_OtherAddon_Model_Thread { code }
class XFCP_ThreadRating_Model_ThreadRating extends OtherAddon_Model_Thread {} // generated
class ThreadRating_Model_ThreadRating extends XenForo_Model_Thread { code }

So, your thread rating model would end up "skipping over" the other addon and breaking the chain.