Understanding the $this->runData Array in Batoi RAD Framework

Introduction

The $this->runData array is the backbone of applications developed on the Batoi RAD Framework. This array contains vital information that is generated and modified during the execution of the application. It holds essential parameters and objects, such as database connections, request and session details, configurations, and more. As an integral part of the Batoi RAD Framework, it helps developers keep track of various application states and makes it easy to handle different layers of an application holistically.

Structure of $this->runData

Below is a breakdown of what each key-value pair in the $this->runData array represents:

errorHandler

This is an object that contains information about how to handle errors in your application. The errorHandler also integrates a logging utility through logger.

Example Usage:
$this->runData['errorHandler']->lastError = "An error occurred. Please try again later.";

request

Holds details about the incoming HTTP request. Provides request headers, method (GET, POST, etc.), IP address, and other important attributes.
headers: HTTP headers present in the request.
body: Body content of the request.
method: HTTP method (GET, POST, etc.)
And many more…

Example Usage:
$method = $this->runData['request']->method;

The list of parameters in the request object can be found in the table below:

db

This object encapsulates the Database connection and related functionalities.
dbh: Database handler object.

Example Usage:
$this->runData['db']->select('a_task', ['livestatus' => '1'], false);

In the above, a_task is the table name that holds the tasks, and the select query returns all active tasks (livestatus = 1).

The list of methods of the db object is given below:

config

This array holds both system-level and application-level configurations.

sys: System-level configurations like project title, timezone, session settings, etc.
app: Application-level configurations like API keys.
dir: Directory structure that can be accessed within the application.

Example Usage:
$projectTitle = $this->runData['config']['sys']['project_title'];
$mailGunAPIKey = $this->runData['config']['app']['mailgun_api_key'];

In the above, you need to add mailgun_api_key into your config settings, whereas the system settings are already available, and you need to set up their values during the project setup, but you can edit later (make sure that the edit does not break the application).

The full list of other config‘s system (sys) parameters is in the table below:

The directories that can be accessed within the application are listed below:

session

An object that manages session data. Includes both system-level and application-level session configuration.

Example Usage:
$sessionLifetime = $this->runData['session']->config['sys']['session_lifetime'];

entity

An associative array that holds information about the logged-in user.

Example Usage:
$userId = $this->runData['entity']['id'];

The following is the list of parameters of the entity array:

data

Stores any additional data that may be used across the application. It's often used for passing values between different functionalities within the framework.

Example Usage:
$this->runData['data']['tasks'] = $taskList;

In the above, the task list is getting assigned to a new parameter in the data array called tasks.

route

Stores information about routing, including alert messages and metadata related to the current page.

Example Usage:
$pageTitle = $this->runData['route']['meta_title'];

The list of route parameters is given below:

ms(Microservice)

Contains the values of different parameters of the corresponding microservices of the route.

nav

Contains the navigation menu's structure. It can be multi-level; i.e, multiple menu sets can be stored. It holds metadata like menu titles, links, and access roles.

Example Usage:
$menuTitle = $this->runData[‘nav’][0][0][‘menu’]; // the title of the first menu title of first nav
$link = $this->runData[‘nav’][0][0][‘href’]; // the link of the first menu title of first nav
$roleIDs = explode(‘,’,$this->runData[‘nav’][0][0][‘roles’]); // the roles that can access the first menu of the first nav

Conclusion

Understanding $this->runData is crucial for effective development in the Batoi RAD Framework. Its comprehensive structure provides a clear roadmap to different functionalities and states within the application.