Question

how could I add some variables to my layout.phtml?
I could add it in every Controller like here: Sending variables to the layout in Zend Framework

But that’s not really suggestive and in the Bootstrap I don’t want to add it too.

Answer 1

You could create a front-controller plugin called LayoutDefaults:

class MyLib_Controller_Plugin_LayoutDefaults extends Zend_Controller_Plugin_Abstract
{    
  public function preDispatch(Zend_Controller_Request_Abstract $request)
  {
    $mvc = Zend_Layout::getMvcInstance();
    if ( !$mvc ) return;
    $view = $mvc->getView();
    if ( !$view ) return;

    /**
     * Set the defaults.
     */
    $view->value1 = "default value1";
  }
}

In your Front Controller:

Zend_Controller_Front::getInstance()
  ->registerPlugin( new MyLib_Controller_Plugin_LayoutDefaults() );

In your layout.phtml:

<?= $this->escape($this->value1) ?>

And finally, in your controllers, override the default as needed:

$this->view->value1 = "new value 1";