Improved AppShell::perform()

[fhickman]

The documentation page for installation suggests that you add this function to your AppShell:

public function perform() {
    $this->initialize();
    $this->{array_shift($this->args)}();
}

I found that this function did not allow me to schedule jobs with commands that used non-positional options. Instead, I use:

public function perform()
{
    $this->initialize();
    return $this->runCommand($this->args[0], $this->args);
}

This way, options are parsed from the argument list in the same way that the Cake ShellDispatcher does.

Thanks!

[wa0x6e]

With runCommand(), you're passing $this->args as function parameters ?

Does that not require that the number of arguments to be known beforehand when writing the function ?

[fhickman]

runCommand is a function on CakePHP's Shell class (not my own code):

public function runCommand($command, $argv);

It takes care of parsing/validating the command line arguments, then invokes the right command/task.

[wa0x6e]

What I mean is that it is invoking function with the job option's as function parameters.

If I'm correct, a job like main, 0, 1, 2, 3 will call the function main($a, $b, $c, $d) {}.

It so, it's a change that is not backward compatible, and should be included only on the next major release.

[fhickman]

Hmm, if I understand what you're asking, I don't think that what you suggest is correct...

Here's a little test case I wrote to demonstrate the differences

// OldShell.php
App::uses('Shell', 'Console');
App::uses('CakeResque', 'Lib');

/**
 * Current Cake-Resque execution hook.
 */
class AppShellOld extends Shell {

    public function perform()
    {
        $this->initialize();
        $this->{array_shift($this->args)}();    // FSH: This way doesn't parse options
    }
}

/**
 * Shell commands to demonstrate current command dispatch.
 */
class OldShell extends AppShellOld {

    public function test_enqueue_args() {
        CakeResque::enqueue('default', 'OldShell', array('main', 'arg0', 'arg1'));
    }

    public function test_enqueue_options() {
        CakeResque::enqueue('default', 'OldShell', array('main', 'arg0', '-v', 'arg1'));
    }

    public function main() {
        $this->out("Main:");
        debug($this->args);
        debug($this->params);
    }
}

// NewShell.php
<?php
App::uses('Shell', 'Console');
App::uses('CakeResque', 'Lib');

/**
 * Proposed change.
 */
class AppShellNew extends Shell {

    public function perform()
    {
        $this->initialize();
        return $this->runCommand($this->args[0], $this->args);
    }
}

/**
 * Shell commands to demonstrate proposed command dispatch change.
 */
class NewShell extends AppShellNew {

    public function test_enqueue_args() {
        CakeResque::enqueue('default', 'NewShell', array('main', 'arg0', 'arg1'));
    }

    public function test_enqueue_options() {
        CakeResque::enqueue('default', 'NewShell', array('main', 'arg0', '-v', 'arg1'));
    }

    public function main() {
        $this->out("Main:");
        debug($this->args);
        debug($this->params);
    }
}

When I run cake old test_enqueue_args and cake old test_enqueue_options, I log this output:

Main:
/app/Console/Command/OldShell.php (line 33)
########## DEBUG ##########
array(
    (int) 0 => 'arg0',
    (int) 1 => 'arg1'
)
###########################
/app/Console/Command/OldShell.php (line 34)
########## DEBUG ##########
array() #<--- No options defined
###########################

Main:
/app/Console/Command/OldShell.php (line 33)
########## DEBUG ##########
array(
    (int) 0 => 'arg0',
    (int) 1 => '-v',  <---- Option passed as argument
    (int) 2 => 'arg1'
)
###########################
/app/Console/Command/OldShell.php (line 34)
########## DEBUG ##########
array()  <----- No options defined
###########################

When I run cake new test_enqueue_args and cake new test_enqueue_options, I log this output:

Welcome to CakePHP v2.4.4 Console
---------------------------------------------------------------
App : app
Path: /Users/frank/proj/server/www/app/
---------------------------------------------------------------
Main:
/app/Console/Command/NewShell.php (line 33)
########## DEBUG ##########
array(
    (int) 0 => 'arg0',  <----- args are correct
    (int) 1 => 'arg1'
)
###########################
/app/Console/Command/NewShell.php (line 34)
########## DEBUG ##########
array(
    'help' => false,  <--- default options are properly defined
    'verbose' => false,
    'quiet' => false
)
###########################

Welcome to CakePHP v2.4.4 Console
---------------------------------------------------------------
App : app
Path: /Users/frank/proj/server/www/app/
---------------------------------------------------------------
Main:
/app/Console/Command/NewShell.php (line 33)
########## DEBUG ##########
array(
    (int) 0 => 'arg0',  <--- args array is as expected
    (int) 1 => 'arg1'
)
###########################
/app/Console/Command/NewShell.php (line 34)
########## DEBUG ##########
array(
    'verbose' => true, <--- 'verbose' option is picked up
    'help' => false,
    'quiet' => false
)
###########################

I believe the "new" version better reflects how Cake developers would expect console commands to be invoked.

P.S. I'm loving this project by the way... thanks!

[wa0x6e]

So from your test case, with runCommand(), the arguments in the called function (main) remain optional ? If so, that change looks interesting ...

[wa0x6e]

public function runCommand($command, $argv);

Shouldn't you also array_shift the $argv, so that the target function receives the same arguments as the old code ?

[fhickman]

The call to array_shift happens in the Cake framework, near the top of Shell::runCommand.

[wa0x6e]

Documentation updated. Thanks.

[johannesnagl]

guys, you rock and have saved my day! :)