v1.0.0-beta.4

-Code cleanup
-Improved config handling

Author: alddesign

Readme.md

@@ -12,29 +12,27 @@
     - PHP 7.1 or higher
     - [PHP Composer](https://getcomposer.org/)
 - Install via Composer: 
-    - Run `composer create-project alddesign/ez-mvc=dev-master` in the directory where you want ez-mvc to be installed.
+    - Run `composer create-project alddesign/ez-mvc=dev-master` in the directory where you want ez-mvc to be installed. (Or download from github and extract manually).
     - Run `composer update` in the newly created directory. 
     - This is your **ez-mvc root** directory from now on.
 - Change RewriteBase in the `.htaccess` with your `/path-to-ez-mvc/`. This is the path to your ez-mvc root directory (relative to your webserver root directory).
 - Change the `base-url` in `/system/system.config.php` to the url that points to your ez-mvc root directory. For example: `http://your-host/path-to-ez-mvc` 
 - Open http://your-host/path-to-ez-mvc/ in your webbrowser
 
-If you install ez-mvc in the root directory of your webserver and do not rename any folders or files, your can leave the above config files as they are. 
-
 Now you should see the ez-mvc sample application. A little application which should demonstrate how to use ez-mvc.
 
 **PLEASE: Do not delete the sample application right away. It has plenty of documentation und examples. This document is just a guidline.**
 
 ## Basics
-ez-mvc is a simple PHP Model View Controller framework. It provides the absolute basic functionalities to build MVC webapps. Its much more simple than [Laravel](#https://laravel.com/) or even [CodeIgniter](https://codeigniter.com/). But if follows the same approach.
+Ez-mvc is a simple PHP Model View Controller framework. It provides the absolute basic functionalities to build MVC webapps. Its much more simple than [Laravel](https://laravel.com/) or even [CodeIgniter](https://codeigniter.com/). But if follows the same approach.
 
-- ez-mvc comes without any third party software, only requires composer for quick installation
-- ez-mvc has no frontend capabilities design built-in (CSS/JS).
+- Ez-mvc comes without any third party software, only requires composer for quick installation
+- Ez-mvc has no frontend capabilities built-in (CSS/JS).
 - When talking about the ez-mvc root directory: its the directory with the `index.php` file. All paths are realtive to it.
 - Create your app (models, views, controllers, config) only in the `/app` folder.
-- Assets line js, css, images, can be placed in the `/assets` folder
+- Assets like JS, CSS, images, can be placed in the `/assets` folder
 - The only system file you need to edit is `/system/system.config.php`. This file is the base configuration for ez-mvc
-- Of course you can customize or extend ez-mvc´s core if you really wnat to. Its located in the `/system` folder
+- Of course you can customize or extend ez-mvc´s core if you really want to. Its located in the `/system` folder
 
 ## Overview
 Ez-mvc provides the following features:  
@@ -62,7 +60,7 @@ Ez-mvc provides the following features:
 - *See: `/app/config/app.config.php`*  
 
 **Routing**
-- ez-mvc has build-in routing, and the best thing: you dont need to care about it (i know sometimes you want to, but this is ez-mvc)
+- Ez-mvc has build-in routing, and the best thing: you dont need to care about it (i know sometimes you want to, but this is ez-mvc)
 - Routing happens based on the URL.
 - The format is always the same: http://your-host/path-to-ez-mvc/Controller/Action/parameter1/parameter2/...
 - Example: http://your-host/path-to-ez-mvc/Product/list. Controller is "Product" (/app/controllers/Product.php). Action is "list" (Method list() in /app/controllers/Product.php). 
@@ -79,5 +77,4 @@ The Helper class offers functionality which makes your life ez-er.
 
 ## Trivia
 - Checkout ez-mvc on Github: [alddesign/ez-mvc](https://github.com/alddesign/ez-mvc)
-- Written in [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/download)
-- Some desing patterns of the framework itself are considert bad practice (Singletons for example). And yes, i dont care.
+- Some desing patterns used in the framework are considert bad practice (Singletons, static classes, lazy stuff...). And yes, i dont care.

app/controllers/Main.php

@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 declare(strict_types = 1);
 namespace Alddesign\EzMvc\Controllers;
 
+use Alddesign\EzMvc\Models\DefaultModel;
 use Alddesign\EzMvc\System\View;
 use Alddesign\EzMvc\System\Controller;
+use Alddesign\EzMvc\System\Helper;
+use Alddesign\EzMvc\System\Model;
 
 /**
  * This is a Controller.
@@ -12,7 +15,7 @@
 abstract class Main extends Controller
 {
     /**
-     * This is an Controller Action.
+     * This is a Controller Action.
      * The Controller Action name is the second segment of the url: http://localhost/Main/index/...
      */
     public static function index()

app/models/DefaultModel.php

@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 use Alddesign\EzMvc\System\Helper;
 use Alddesign\EzMvc\System\Model;
-use Exception;
 use \PDO;
 
 abstract class DefaultModel extends Model

app/sample-database.sqlite

@@ -1,17 +1,24 @@
 <?php
-$autoloader = __DIR__.'/vendor/autoload.php';
-if(!file_exists($autoloader))
+//Set Error defaults to catch early configuration errors:
+ini_set('display_errors', 'On');
+ini_set('display_startup_errors', 'On');
+ini_set('error_reporting', -1);
+
+//Check for autoloder and embed it
+if(!file_exists(__DIR__.'/vendor/autoload.php'))
 {
-    die('Damn, run <b>composer update</b> before using EZ-MVC.<br/>Please, <a href="https://getcomposer.org">get composer.</a> and thank me later.');
+    http_response_code(500);
+    echo 'vendor/autoloader.php not found. Forgot "composer update"?';
+    die;
 }
-require ($autoloader); //using composers autoloader file
+require(__DIR__.'/vendor/autoload.php');
 
 session_start();
 
 //Loads the config
 Alddesign\EzMvc\System\Config::load();
 
-//Error reporting & display
+//Set Error reporting as configured
 ini_set('display_errors', Alddesign\EzMvc\System\Config::system('php-display-errors', 'On'));
 ini_set('display_startup_errors', Alddesign\EzMvc\System\Config::system('php-display-startup-errors', 'On'));
 ini_set('error_reporting', Alddesign\EzMvc\System\Config::system('php-error-reporting', E_ALL));

composer.lock

@@ -4,24 +4,27 @@
 
 abstract class Config
 {
-    private static $loaded = false;
+    private static bool $loaded = false;
+    private static bool $found = false;
 
     /**
-     * Loads a value from the app.config.php. You can access the config via the dot syntax (separating keys with a '.')
+     * Loads a value from the app config (app.config.php). 
+     * 
+     * @param string $key The key for the config value. Supports dot syntax - see example. If $key is an empty string '' the whole app config will be returned.
+     * @param string $default Retruns this default value, if no config value for $key was found.
+     * 
+     * @return mixed The config value for $key or $default if no config value for $key was found.
      * 
      * ```php
-     * //Example
-     * Config::get('captions.price');
+     * //Example of the dot syntax: these two call do the same.
+     * $priceCaption = Config::get('captions.price');
      * //Is the same as
-     * Config::get('captions')['price'];
+     * $priceCaption = Config::get('captions')['price'];
      * ```
-     * @param string $key
-     * @param string $default Default value if key is not found
-     * 
-     * @return mixed
      */
     public static function get(string $key = '', $default = '')
     {
+        self::$found = true;
         global $_EZMVC_APP_CONFIG;
 
         if($key === '')
@@ -42,6 +45,7 @@ public static function get(string $key = '', $default = '')
         {
             if(!is_array($value) || !array_key_exists($dotkey, $value))
             {
+                self::$found = false;
                 return $default;
             }
 
@@ -51,16 +55,65 @@ public static function get(string $key = '', $default = '')
         return $value;
     }
 
+
     /**
-     * Loads a value from the ez-mvc system.config.php. Works the same way as Config::get()
+     * Works the same way as **Config::get()**, but stores the config value in $outVar. Returns if a config value for $key was found.
      * 
-     * @param string $key
-     * @param string $default Default value if key is not found
+     * @param mixed &$outVar The config value will be stored in this variable (pass by reference);
+     * @param string $default Default value for $outVar if no config value for $key was found.
+     * 
+     * @return bool TRUE if a config value for $key was found, otherwise FALSE.
+     */
+    public static function getVar(string $key, &$outVar, $default = '')
+    {
+        $outVar = self::get($key, $default);
+
+        return self::$found;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Works the same way as **Config::get()**, but throws an exception if no config value for $key was found.
+     * 
+     * @param bool $throwErrorIfEmpty Also throw an error if the config value is empty. 0 is not empty.
+     * @throws Exception if no config value for $key was found.
      * 
      * @return mixed
      */
+    public static function need(string $key, bool $throwErrorIfEmpty = false)
+    {
+        $value = self::get($key, '');
+
+        if(!self::$found)
+        {
+            Helper::ex('Missing config value. Key "%s".', $key);
+        }
+
+        if($throwErrorIfEmpty && Helper::e($value))
+        {
+            Helper::ex('The config value must not be empty. Key "%s".', $key);
+        }
+
+        return $value;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Checks if a config value for $key exists.
+     * 
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public static function has(string $key)
+    {
+        self::get($key, '');
+
+        return self::$found;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Works the same way as **Config::get()**, but for the ez-mvc system config (system/system.config.php)
+     */
     public static function system(string $key = '', $default = '')
     {
+        self::$found = true;
         global $_EZMVC_SYS_CONFIG;
 
         if($key === '')
@@ -81,6 +134,7 @@ public static function system(string $key = '', $default = '')
         {
             if(!is_array($value) || !array_key_exists($dotkey, $value))
             {
+                self::$found = false;
                 return $default;
             }
             $value = $value[$dotkey];
@@ -89,6 +143,48 @@ public static function system(string $key = '', $default = '')
         return $value;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Works the same way as **Config::getVar()**, but for the ez-mvc system config (system/system.config.php)
+     */
+    public static function systemVar(string $key, &$outVar, $default = '')
+    {
+        $outVar = self::system($key, $default);
+
+        return self::$found;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Works the same way as **Config::need()**, but for the ez-mvc system config (system/system.config.php)
+     */
+    public static function systemNeed(string $key, bool $throwErrorIfEmpty = false)
+    {
+        $value = self::system($key, '');
+
+        if(!self::$found)
+        {
+            Helper::ex('Missing system-config value. Key "%s".', $key);
+        }
+
+        if($throwErrorIfEmpty && Helper::e($value))
+        {
+            Helper::ex('The system-config value must not be empty. Key "%s".', $key);
+        }
+
+        return $value;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Works the same way as **Config::has()**, but for the ez-mvc system config (system/system.config.php)
+     * 
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public static function systemHas(string $key)
+    {
+        self::system($key, '');
+
+        return self::$found;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Loads the config files into the global vars
      * 

index.php

@@ -118,26 +118,16 @@ public static function xout($value, bool $dontDie = false, bool $initCall = true
 	}
 
 	/** 
-	 * Shorthand call of throw new Exception(); with up to 8 placeholders 
+	 * Shorthand call of **throw new Exception();** with placeholders.
 	 * 
 	 * ```
 	 * //Example usage:
 	 * Helper::ex("%d errors while trying to delete user '%s'.", 4, "admin"); 
 	 * ```
-	 * 
-	 * @param string $message The Exception message to show
-	 * @param mixed $p1 (optional) placeholder
-	 * @param mixed $p2 (optional) placeholder
-	 * @param mixed $p3 (optional) placeholder
-	 * @param mixed $p4 (optional) placeholder
-	 * @param mixed $p5 (optional) placeholder
-	 * @param mixed $p6 (optional) placeholder
-	 * @param mixed $p7 (optional) placeholder
-	 * @param mixed $p8 (optional) placeholder
 	 */
-	public static function ex(string $message, $p1 = '', $p2 = '', $p3 = '', $p4 = '', $p5 = '', $p6 = '', $p7 = '', $p8 = '')
+	public static function ex(string $message, ...$params)
 	{
-		throw new \Exception(sprintf($message, $p1, $p2, $p3, $p4, $p5, $p6, $p7, $p8));
+		throw new \Exception(vsprintf($message, $params));
 	}
 
 	/** 
@@ -149,19 +139,15 @@ public static function ex(string $message, $p1 = '', $p2 = '', $p3 = '', $p4 = '
 	 */
 	public static function e($var, bool $zeroIsEmpty = false)
 	{
-		$type = gettype($var);
-		switch($type)
-		{
-			case 'boolean'	: return false;
-			case 'integer'	: return ($zeroIsEmpty && $var === 0) ? true : false;
-			case 'double'	: return ($zeroIsEmpty && $var === 0.0) ? true : false;
-			case 'string'	: return ($var === '');
-			case 'array'	: return ($var === []);
- 			case 'object'	: return ($var == (object)[]);
-			case 'resource'	: return false;
-			case 'NULL'		: return true;
-			default			: return false;
-		}
+		return
+		(
+			($zeroIsEmpty && $var === 0) ||
+			($zeroIsEmpty && $var === 0.0) ||
+			$var === '' ||
+			$var === [] ||
+			$var === (object)[] ||
+			$var === null
+		);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -257,9 +243,9 @@ public static function echoUrl(string $url)
 
 	/** 
 	 * Checks if a $_GET request variable exists and stores its value in $outVar.
-	 * @return bool FALSE if variable exists, otherwise FALSE
+	 * @return bool TRUE if variable exists, otherwise FALSE
 	 */
-	public static function get(string $name, &$outVar, $default = "")
+	public static function get(string $name, &$outVar, $default = '')
 	{
 		if(!isset($_GET[$name]) || Helper::e($_GET[$name]))
 		{
@@ -273,9 +259,9 @@ public static function get(string $name, &$outVar, $default = "")
 
 	/** 
 	 * Checks if a $_POST request variable exists and stores its value in $outVar.
-	 * @return bool FALSE if variable exists, otherwise FALSE
+	 * @return bool TRUE if variable exists, otherwise FALSE
 	 */
-	public static function post(string $name, &$outVar, $default = "")
+	public static function post(string $name, &$outVar, $default = '')
 	{
 		if(!isset($_POST[$name]) || Helper::e($_POST[$name]))
 		{
@@ -289,9 +275,9 @@ public static function post(string $name, &$outVar, $default = "")
 
 	/** 
 	 * Checks if a session variable exists and stores its value in $outVar.
-	 * @return bool FALSE if variable exists, otherwise FALSE
+	 * @return bool TRUE if variable exists, otherwise FALSE
 	 */
-	public static function session(string $name, &$outVar, $default = "")
+	public static function session(string $name, &$outVar, $default = '')
 	{
 		if(!isset($_SESSION[$name]) || Helper::e($_SESSION[$name]))
 		{
@@ -305,7 +291,7 @@ public static function session(string $name, &$outVar, $default = "")
 
 	/** 
 	 * Returns the value of a session variable. 
-	 * @return mixed|bool FALSE if the session variable doesnt exist
+	 * @return mixed The session variable or $default
 	 */
 	public static function sessionVal(string $name, $default = false)
 	{