Yaf_Loader introduces a comprehensive autoloading solution for Yaf.

The first time an instance of Yaf_Application is retrieved, Yaf_Loader will instance a singleton, and registers itself with spl_autoload. You retrieve an instance using the Yaf_Loader::getInstance()

Yaf_Loader attempt to load a class only one shot, if failed, depend on yaf.use_spl_auload, if this config is On Yaf_Loader::autoload() will return FALSE, thus give the chance to other autoload function. if it is Off (by default), Yaf_Loader::autoload() will return TRUE, and more important is that a very usefull warning will be triggerd (very usefull to find out why a class could not be loaded).

Note:

Please keep yaf.use_spl_autoload Off unless there is some library have their own autoload mechanism and impossible to rewrite it.

By default, Yaf_Loader assume all library (class defined script) store in the global library directory, which is defined in the php.ini(yaf.library).

If you want Yaf_Loader search some classes(libraries) in the local class directory(which is defined in application.ini, and by default, it is application.directory . "/library"), you should register the class prefix using the Yaf_Loader::registerLocalNameSpace()

Let's see some examples(assuming APPLICATION_PATH is application.directory):

// Assuming the following configure in php.ini:
yaf.library = "/global_dir"

//Assuming the following configure in application.ini
application.library = APPLICATION_PATH "/library"

<?php
class Bootstrap extends Yaf_Bootstrap_Abstract{
     public function _initLoader($dispatcher) {
          Yaf_Loader::getInstance()->registerLocalNameSpace(array("Foo", "Bar"));
     }
?>

class Foo_Bar_Test =>
  // APPLICATION_PATH/library/Foo/Bar/Test.php
  
class GLO_Name  =>
  // /global_dir/Glo/Name.php
 
class BarNon_Test
  // /global_dir/Barnon/Test.php

class \Foo\Bar\Dummy =>
   // APPLICATION_PATH/library/Foo/Bar/Dummy.php

class \FooBar\Bar\Dummy =>
   // /global_dir/FooBar/Bar/Dummy.php

You may noticed that all the folder wth the first letter capitalized, you can make them lowercase by set yaf.lowcase_path = On in php.ini

Yaf_Loader is also designed to load the MVC classes, and the rule is:

Controller Classes =>
// APPLICATION_PATH/controllers/

Model Classes =>
// APPLICATION_PATH/models/

Plugin Classes =>
// APPLICATION_PATH/plugins/

Controller Classes =>
    // ***Controller

Model Classes =>
    // ***Model

Plugin Classes =>
    // ***Plugin

class IndexController
    // APPLICATION_PATH/controllers/Index.php

class DataModel =>
   // APPLICATION_PATH/models/Data.php

class DummyPlugin =>
  // APPLICATION_PATH/plugins/Dummy.php

class A_B_TestModel =>
  // APPLICATION_PATH/models/A/B/Test.php