Accessing Zend url action helper from a custom action helper in default module

Question

So I normally have no problem using the "url" action helper from a custom action helper, when accessing a module, using the following:

$urlHelper = Zend_Controller_Action_HelperBroker::getExistingHelper('url');

But the following error occurs if the default module (the root url, /) is accessed:

Fatal error: Uncaught exception 'Zend_Controller_Action_Exception' with message 'Action helper "Url" has not been registered with the helper broker' in /home/erahhal/Code/ZendFramework-1.11.12/library/Zend/Controller/Plugin/Broker.php on line 336

What is the root of this problem?

I'm not sure you've given enough info to solve the problem. How are you configuring your ZF app? What do the configs look like? Is it just that one URL, or does the problem happen elsewhere in your Default module? Does it happen in other modules too? Does the exception you're getting also say what folders HelperBroker is looking in? — curtisdf, Jul 25 '12 at 19:51

drew010 · Answer 1 · 2012-07-27T18:56:12.233

Often if I want to use the URL helper outside of the context of a controller or action helper, I just create a new instance of the helper myself.

You should be able to use the following code to get a URL helper and use it:

$urlHelper = new Zend_Controller_Action_Helper_Url();
$url       = $urlHelper->url(array('controller' => 'foo',
                                   'action'     => 'bar',
                                   'module'     => 'mod'));

I'm not sure why you are encountering that error, but if the helper has not yet been registered with the Front Controller (maybe you are calling this too early on in your application dispatch?), try using getStaticHelper() instead of getExistingHelper():

$urlHelper = Zend_Controller_Action_HelperBroker::getStaticHelper('url');

If the URL helper is not yet registered with the plugin loader, it will register and load it for you.

From The Helper Broker Documentation:

There are also two static methods for retrieving helpers from the helper broker: getExistingHelper() and getStaticHelper(). getExistingHelper() will retrieve a helper only if it has previously been invoked by or explicitly registered with the helper broker; it will throw an exception if not. getStaticHelper() does the same as getExistingHelper(), but will attempt to instantiate the helper if has not yet been registered with the helper stack. getStaticHelper() is a good choice for retrieving helpers which you wish to configure.

Thanks for the help. I tried getHelper, and still had a fatal error. What ended up working is getStaticHelper, which instantiates the helper if it does not yet exist. — colordrops, Jul 27 '12 at 18:46
I just updated the answer based on your finding. It looked like getHelper would register it for you but does not. I added a reference from the docs which explains how getStaticHelper will instantiate it for you as you found. — drew010, Jul 27 '12 at 18:56

Accessing Zend url action helper from a custom action helper in default module

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