Zend Framework use mulitple method in a View helper

Question

I was wondering if that was possible to use mulitple function with a View Helper? Let's say I have this view helper :

class Zend_View_Helper_Time extends Zend_View_Helper_Abstract {

    public function time($date) {
        // Some code here
    }
}

In my view, I'm gonna use it like that :

$this->time($some_date);

But what about if I want, in the same helper be able to call another method like :

$this->Time->convertMyDate($some_date);

I tried to do that but unfortunately I've got an error. Are we lock to only use a method name after the class name?

Thanks for your help

Answer 1

I do this, and simply return $this in the constructor:

public function time() {
     return $this;
}

public function convertMyDate($some_date) {
    ...
}

Then:

$this->time()->convertMyDate();

If you want to keep $this->time($some_date) , then you could do as follows (although I think a new method is nicer):

public function time($time = false) {
    if(!$time)
       return $this;
    else {
       ...
    }
}

Answer 2

even if the class worked this call likely wouldn't:

$this->Time->convertMyDate($some_date);

is currently trying to access a public member (Time) of $this:

$this->time()->convertMyDate($some_date);

would now access the convertMyDate() method of helper time() (at least in theory)

It would probably be easiest and more flexible to just build a convertMyDate() helper and use it like:

$this->convertMyDate($this->time($some_date));

It also might be helpful to look at the code for something like the HeadScript() helper as this does the type of thing your looking for.