Question

I have a mysql databased with many tables and fields. I would like to quickly generate a set of prototype forms based on the mysql database (or create table statements). Anyone have any suggestions? html form code would be great. Full PHP validation and insert updates would be even better. Also Zend framework code would be ideal.

I was looking at mySQL workbench which has an excelent reverse engineering and visual presentaion of databases, but no form generator.

Answer 1

You’re looking for a thing called scaffolding.

Scaffolding is a meta-programming method of building database-backed software applications. It is a technique supported by some model-view-controller frameworks, in which the programmer may write a specification that describes how the application database may be used. The compiler uses this specification to generate code that the application can use to create, read, update and delete database entries, effectively treating the template as a “scaffold” on which to build a more powerful application.

Please note that ZF and other PHP frameworks are not MVC frameworks – at least those popular like ZF, Symfony, Kohana, CakePHP etc.

It seems that ZF has built-in support for scaffolding: Zend_Controller_Front_Scaffold.