Question

Using the Zend Framework and the url method for the view:

$this->url(array('field1' => this, 'field2' => 'is', 'field3' => 'my example'), 'route_name');

Where route_name is the name of the url route and each field# is retrieved from the database.

I noticed that by default it changes spaces in Controller/Action names into plus sign so that what looked like:

www.example.com/this is my example

to

www.example.com/this+is+my+example

I would like to change the separatoer from + to – to have something like

www.example.com/this-is-my-example

I know that another thread: How to change the separation character of Zend Url?
as documented a way to do it which I tried without success.

A thorough explanation on how to do it would be much appreciated.

EDIT2: I know where the problem lies if anyone is interested, it comes from the way the url is assemble, it uses urlencode which converts all non-alphanumeric characters expect – and _ and the spaces as +, there is no way to override that than replace the character create the url manually (as Maxime suggested) or create a custom url function replacing the characters (as suggest by aporat)…

Thanks!

Answer 1

If you really want to do that, you can extend the stock Zend_View_Helper_Url view helper and add your url logic into your view helper.

<?php
namespace Application\View\Helper;

 class MyUrl extends \Zend_View_Helper_Url
 {
    /**
     * Generates an url given the name of a route.
     *
     * @access public
     *
     * @param  array $urlOptions Options passed to the assemble method of the Route object.
     * @param  mixed $name The name of a Route to use. If null it will use the current Route
     * @param  bool $reset Whether or not to reset the route defaults with those provided
     * @return string Url for the link href attribute.
     */
     public function myUrl(array $urlOptions = array(), $name = null, $reset = false, $encode = true)
     {

     return str_replace('+', '-', parent::url($urlOptions, $name, $reset, $encode));
     }
}

and then just load your new view helper and you’re good to go:

        $helper = new \Application\View\Helper\MyUrl;
        $this->view->registerHelper($helper, 'myUrl');