# Abstract Class yii\gii\Generator

Inheritance | yii\gii\Generator » yii\base\Model » yii\base\Component » yii\base\BaseObject
Implements | ArrayAccess, IteratorAggregate, yii\base\Arrayable, yii\base\Configurable, yii\base\StaticInstanceInterface
Uses Traits | yii\base\ArrayableTrait, yii\base\StaticInstanceTrait
Subclasses | yii\gii\generators\controller\Generator, yii\gii\generators\crud\Generator, yii\gii\generators\extension\Generator, yii\gii\generators\form\Generator, yii\gii\generators\model\Generator, yii\gii\generators\module\Generator, yii\mongodb\gii\model\Generator, yii\sphinx\gii\model\Generator
Available since version | 2.0
Source Code | https://github.com/yiisoft/yii2-gii/blob/master/Generator.php

This is the base class for all generator classes.

A generator instance is responsible for taking user inputs, validating them, and using them to generate the corresponding code based on a set of code template files.

A generator class typically needs to implement the following methods:

- getName(): returns the name of the generator
- getDescription(): returns the detailed description of the generator
- generate(): generates the code based on the current user input and the specified code template files. This is the place where main code generation code resides.

## Public Properties

Hide inherited properties

Property | Type | Description | Defined By
--- | --- | --- | ---
$activeValidators | yii\validators\Validator[] | The validators applicable to the current $scenario. This property is read-only. | yii\base\Model
$attributes | array | Attribute values (name => value). | yii\base\Model
$behaviors | yii\base\Behavior[] | List of behaviors attached to this component. This property is read-only. | yii\base\Component
$description | string | The detailed description of the generator. This property is read-only. | yii\gii\Generator
$enableI18N | boolean | Whether the strings will be generated using `Yii::t()` or normal strings. | yii\gii\Generator
$errors | array | An array of errors for all attributes. Empty array is returned if no error. The result is a two-dimensional array. See getErrors() for detailed description. This property is read-only. | yii\base\Model
$firstErrors | array | The first errors. The array keys are the attribute names, and the array values are the corresponding error messages. An empty array will be returned if there is no error. This property is read-only. | yii\base\Model
$iterator | ArrayIterator | An iterator for traversing the items in the list. This property is read-only. | yii\base\Model
$messageCategory | string | The message category used by `Yii::t()` when `$enableI18N` is `true`. | yii\gii\Generator
$name | string | Name of the code generator | yii\gii\Generator
$scenario | string | The scenario that this model is in. Defaults to SCENARIO_DEFAULT. | yii\base\Model
$stickyDataFile | string | The file path that stores the sticky attribute values. This property is read-only. | yii\gii\Generator
$template | string | The name of the code template that the user has selected. | yii\gii\Generator
$templatePath | string | The root path of the template files that are currently being used. This property is read-only. | yii\gii\Generator
$templates | array | A list of available code templates. | yii\gii\Generator
$validators | ArrayObject|yii\validators\Validator[] | All the validators declared in the model. This property is read-only. | yii\base\Model

## Public Methods

Hide inherited methods

Method | Description | Defined By
--- | --- | ---
__call() | Calls the named method which is not a class method. | yii\base\Component
__clone() | This method is called after the object is created by cloning an existing one. | yii\base\Component
__construct() | Constructor. | yii\base\BaseObject
__get() | Returns the value of a component property. | yii\base\Component
__isset() | Checks if a property is set, i.e. defined and not null. | yii\base\Component
__set() | Sets the value of a component property. | yii\base\Component
__unset() | Sets a component property to be null. | yii\base\Component
activeAttributes() | Returns the attribute names that are subject to validation in the current scenario. | yii\base\Model
addError() | Adds a new error to the specified attribute. | yii\base\Model
addErrors() | Adds a list of errors. | yii\base\Model
afterValidate() | This method is invoked after validation ends. | yii\base\Model
attachBehavior() | Attaches a behavior to this component. | yii\base\Component
attachBehaviors() | Attaches a list of behaviors to the component. | yii\base\Component
attributeHints() | Returns the attribute hints. | yii\base\Model
attributeLabels() | Returns the attribute labels. | yii\gii\Generator
attributes() | Returns the list of attribute names. | yii\base\Model
autoCompleteData() | Returns the list of auto complete values. | yii\gii\Generator
beforeValidate() | This method is invoked before validation starts. | yii\base\Model
behaviors() | Returns a list of behaviors that this component should behave as. | yii\base\Component
canGetProperty() | Returns a value indicating whether a property can be read. | yii\base\Component
canSetProperty() | Returns a value indicating whether a property can be set. | yii\base\Component
className() | Returns the fully qualified name of this class. | yii\base\BaseObject
clearErrors() | Removes errors for all attributes or a single attribute. | yii\base\Model
createValidators() | Creates validator objects based on the validation rules specified in rules(). | yii\base\Model
defaultTemplate() | Returns the root path to the default code template files. | yii\gii\Generator
detachBehavior() | Detaches a behavior from the component. | yii\base\Component
detachBehaviors() | Detaches all behaviors from the component. | yii\base\Component
ensureBehaviors() | Makes sure that the behaviors declared in behaviors() are attached to this component. | yii\base\Component
extraFields() | Returns the list of fields that can be expanded further and returned by toArray(). | yii\base\ArrayableTrait
fields() | Returns the list of fields that should be returned by default by toArray() when no specific fields are specified. | yii\base\ArrayableTrait
formName() | Returns the form name that this model class should use. | yii\base\Model
formView() | Returns the view file for the input form of the generator. | yii\gii\Generator
generate() | Generates the code based on the current user input and the specified code template files. | yii\gii\Generator
generateAttributeLabel() | Generates a user friendly attribute label based on the give attribute name. | yii\base\Model
generateString() | Generates a string depending on enableI18N property | yii\gii\Generator
getActiveValidators() | Returns the validators applicable to the current $scenario. | yii\base\Model
getAttributeHint() | Returns the text hint for the specified attribute. | yii\base\Model
getAttributeLabel() | Returns the text label for the specified attribute. | yii\base\Model
getAttributes() | Returns attribute values. | yii\base\Model
getBehavior() | Returns the named behavior object. | yii\base\Component
getBehaviors() | Returns all behaviors attached to this component. | yii\base\Component
getDescription() |  | yii\gii\Generator
getErrorSummary() | Returns the errors for all attributes as a one-dimensional array. | yii\base\Model
getErrors() | Returns the errors for all attributes or a single attribute. | yii\base\Model
getFirstError() | Returns the first error of the specified attribute. | yii\base\Model
getFirstErrors() | Returns the first error of every attribute in the model. | yii\base\Model
getIterator() | Returns an iterator for traversing the attributes in the model. | yii\base\Model
getName() |  | yii\gii\Generator
getScenario() | Returns the scenario that this model is used in. | yii\base\Model
getStickyDataFile() |  | yii\gii\Generator
getTemplatePath() |  | yii\gii\Generator
getValidators() | Returns all the validators declared in rules(). | yii\base\Model
hasErrors() | Returns a value indicating whether there is any validation error. | yii\base\Model
hasEventHandlers() | Returns a value indicating whether there is any handler attached to the named event. | yii\base\Component
hasMethod() | Returns a value indicating whether a method is defined. | yii\base\Component
hasProperty() | Returns a value indicating whether a property is defined for this component. | yii\base\Component
hints() | Returns the list of hint messages. | yii\gii\Generator
init() | Initializes the object. | yii\gii\Generator
instance() | Returns static class instance, which can be used to obtain meta information. | yii\base\StaticInstanceTrait
isAttributeActive() | Returns a value indicating whether the attribute is active in the current scenario. | yii\base\Model
isAttributeRequired() | Returns a value indicating whether the attribute is required. | yii\base\Model
isAttributeSafe() | Returns a value indicating whether the attribute is safe for massive assignments. | yii\base\Model
isReservedKeyword() |  | yii\gii\Generator
load() | Populates the model with input data. | yii\base\Model
loadMultiple() | Populates a set of models with the data from end user. | yii\base\Model
loadStickyAttributes() | Loads sticky attributes from an internal file and populates them into the generator. | yii\gii\Generator
off() | Detaches an existing event handler from this component. | yii\base\Component
offsetExists() | Returns whether there is an element at the specified offset. | yii\base\Model
offsetGet() | Returns the element at the specified offset. | yii\base\Model
offsetSet() | Sets the element at the specified offset. | yii\base\Model
offsetUnset() | Sets the element value at the specified offset to null. | yii\base\Model
on() | Attaches an event handler to an event. | yii\base\Component
onUnsafeAttribute() | This method is invoked when an unsafe attribute is being massively assigned. | yii\base\Model
render() | Generates code using the specified code template and parameters. | yii\gii\Generator
requiredTemplates() | Returns a list of code template files that are required. | yii\gii\Generator
rules() | Returns the validation rules for attributes. | yii\gii\Generator
safeAttributes() | Returns the attribute names that are safe to be massively assigned in the current scenario. | yii\base\Model
save() | Saves the generated code into files. | yii\gii\Generator
saveStickyAttributes() | Saves sticky attributes into an internal file. | yii\gii\Generator
scenarios() | Returns a list of scenarios and the corresponding active attributes. | yii\base\Model
setAttributes() | Sets the attribute values in a massive way. | yii\base\Model
setScenario() | Sets the scenario for the model. | yii\base\Model
stickyAttributes() | Returns the list of sticky attributes. | yii\gii\Generator
successMessage() | Returns the message to be displayed when the newly generated code is saved successfully. | yii\gii\Generator
toArray() | Converts the model into an array. | yii\base\ArrayableTrait
trigger() | Triggers an event. | yii\base\Component
validate() | Performs the data validation. | yii\base\Model
validateClass() | An inline validator that checks if the attribute value refers to an existing class name. | yii\gii\Generator
validateMessageCategory() | Checks if message category is not empty when I18N is enabled. | yii\gii\Generator
validateMultiple() | Validates multiple models. | yii\base\Model
validateNewClass() | An inline validator that checks if the attribute value refers to a valid namespaced class name. | yii\gii\Generator
validateTemplate() | Validates the template selection. | yii\gii\Generator

## Protected Methods

Hide inherited methods

Method | Description | Defined By
--- | --- | ---
extractFieldsFor() | Extract nested fields from a fields collection for a given root field Nested fields are separated with dots (.). e.g: "item.id" The previous example would extract "id". | yii\base\ArrayableTrait
extractRootFields() | Extracts the root field names from nested fields. | yii\base\ArrayableTrait
resolveFields() | Determines which fields can be returned by toArray(). | yii\base\ArrayableTrait

## Events

Hide inherited events

Event | Type | Description | Defined By
--- | --- | --- | ---
EVENT_AFTER_VALIDATE | yii\base\Event | An event raised at the end of validate() | yii\base\Model
EVENT_BEFORE_VALIDATE | yii\base\ModelEvent | An event raised at the beginning of validate(). | yii\base\Model

## Constants

Hide inherited constants

Constant | Value | Description | Defined By
--- | --- | --- | ---
SCENARIO_DEFAULT | 'default' | The name of the default scenario. | yii\base\Model

## Property Details

$description public property

The detailed description of the generator. This property is read-only.

public string $description = null
$enableI18N public property

Whether the strings will be generated using `Yii::t()` or normal strings.

public boolean $enableI18N = false
$messageCategory public property

The message category used by `Yii::t()` when `$enableI18N` is `true`. Defaults to `app`.

public string $messageCategory = 'app'
$name public read-only property

Name of the code generator

public abstract string getName ( )
$stickyDataFile public property

The file path that stores the sticky attribute values. This property is read-only.

public string $stickyDataFile = null
$template public property

The name of the code template that the user has selected. The value of this property is internally managed by this class.

public string $template = 'default'
$templatePath public property

The root path of the template files that are currently being used. This property is read-only.

public string $templatePath = null
$templates public property

A list of available code templates. The array keys are the template names, and the array values are the corresponding template paths or path aliases.

public array $templates = []

## Method Details

attributeLabels() public method

Returns the attribute labels.

Attribute labels are mainly used for display purpose. For example, given an attribute `firstName`, we can declare a label `First Name` which is more user-friendly and can be displayed to end users.

By default an attribute label is generated using generateAttributeLabel(). This method allows you to explicitly specify attribute labels.

Note, in order to inherit labels defined in the parent class, a child class needs to merge the parent labels with child labels using functions such as `array_merge()`.

public array attributeLabels ( )
return | array | Attribute labels (name => label)

autoCompleteData() public method

Returns the list of auto complete values.

The array keys are the attribute names, and the array values are the corresponding auto complete values. Auto complete values can also be callable typed in order one want to make postponed data generation.

public array autoCompleteData ( )
return | array | The list of auto complete values

defaultTemplate() public method

Returns the root path to the default code template files.

The default implementation will return the "templates" subdirectory of the directory containing the generator class file.

public string defaultTemplate ( )
return | string | The root path to the default code template files.

formView() public method

Returns the view file for the input form of the generator.

The default implementation will return the "form.php" file under the directory that contains the generator class file.

public string formView ( )
return | string | The view file for the input form of the generator.

generate() public abstract method

Generates the code based on the current user input and the specified code template files.

This is the main method that child classes should implement. Please refer to yii\gii\generators\controller\Generator::generate() as an example on how to implement this method.

public abstract yii\gii\CodeFile[] generate ( )
return | yii\gii\CodeFile[] | A list of code files to be created.

generateString() public method

Generates a string depending on enableI18N property

public string generateString ( $string = '', $placeholders = [] )
$string | string | The text be generated
$placeholders | array | The placeholders to use by `Yii::t()`

getDescription() public method

public string getDescription ( )
return | string | The detailed description of the generator.

getName() public abstract method

public abstract string getName ( )
return | string | Name of the code generator

getStickyDataFile() public method

public string getStickyDataFile ( )
return | string | The file path that stores the sticky attribute values.

getTemplatePath() public method

public string getTemplatePath ( )
return | string | The root path of the template files that are currently being used.
throws | yii\base\InvalidConfigException | if $template is invalid

hints() public method

Returns the list of hint messages.

The array keys are the attribute names, and the array values are the corresponding hint messages. Hint messages will be displayed to end users when they are filling the form for the generator.

public array hints ( )
return | array | The list of hint messages

init() public method

Initializes the object.

This method is invoked at the end of the constructor after the object is initialized with the given configuration.

public void init ( )

isReservedKeyword() public method

public boolean isReservedKeyword ( $value )
$value | string | The attribute to be validated
return | boolean | Whether the value is a reserved PHP keyword.

loadStickyAttributes() public method

Loads sticky attributes from an internal file and populates them into the generator.

public void loadStickyAttributes ( )

render() public method

Generates code using the specified code template and parameters.

Note that the code template will be used as a PHP file.

public string render ( $template, $params = [] )
$template | string | The code template file. This must be specified as a file path relative to $templatePath.
$params | array | List of parameters to be passed to the template file.
return | string | The generated code

requiredTemplates() public method

Returns a list of code template files that are required.

Derived classes usually should override this method if they require the existence of certain template files.

public array requiredTemplates ( )
return | array | List of code template files that are required. They should be file paths relative to $templatePath.

rules() public method

Returns the validation rules for attributes.

Child classes should override this method like the following so that the parent rules are included:

    return array_merge(parent::rules(), [
        ...rules for the child class...
    ]);

Validation rules are used by validate() to check if attribute values are valid. Child classes may override this method to declare different validation rules.

Each rule is an array with the following structure:

    [
        ['attribute1', 'attribute2'],
        'validator type',
        'on' => ['scenario1', 'scenario2'],
        //...other parameters...
    ]

where

- attribute list: required, specifies the attributes array to be validated, for single attribute you can pass a string;
- validator type: required, specifies the validator to be used. It can be a built-in validator name, a method name of the model class, an anonymous function, or a validator class name.
- on: optional, specifies the scenarios array in which the validation rule can be applied. If this option is not set, the rule will apply to all scenarios.
- additional name-value pairs can be specified to initialize the corresponding validator properties. Please refer to individual validator class API for possible properties.

A validator can be either an object of a class extending yii\validators\Validator, or a model class method (called inline validator) that has the following signature:

    // $params refers to validation parameters given in the rule
    function validatorName($attribute, $params)

In the above `$attribute` refers to the attribute currently being validated while `$params` contains an array of validator configuration options such as `max` in case of `string` validator. The value of the attribute currently being validated can be accessed as `$this->$attribute`. Note the `$` before `attribute`; this is taking the value of the variable `$attribute` and using it as the name of the property to access.

Yii also provides a set of built-in validators. Each one has an alias name which can be used when specifying a validation rule.

Below are some examples:

    [
        // built-in "required" validator
        [['username', 'password'], 'required'],
        // built-in "string" validator customized with "min" and "max" properties
        ['username', 'string', 'min' => 3, 'max' => 12],
        // built-in "compare" validator that is used in "register" scenario only
        ['password', 'compare', 'compareAttribute' => 'password2', 'on' => 'register'],
        // an inline validator defined via the "authenticate()" method in the model class
        ['password', 'authenticate', 'on' => 'login'],
        // a validator of class "DateRangeValidator"
        ['dateRange', 'DateRangeValidator'],
    ];

Note, in order to inherit rules defined in the parent class, a child class needs to merge the parent rules with child rules using functions such as `array_merge()`.

public array rules ( )
return | array | Validation rules

save() public method

Saves the generated code into files.

public boolean save ( $files, $answers, &$results )
$files | yii\gii\CodeFile[] | The code files to be saved
$answers | array |
$results | string | This parameter receives a value from this method indicating the log messages generated while saving the code files.
return | boolean | Whether files are successfully saved without any error.

saveStickyAttributes() public method

Saves sticky attributes into an internal file.

public void saveStickyAttributes ( )

stickyAttributes() public method

Returns the list of sticky attributes.

A sticky attribute will remember its value and will initialize the attribute with this value when the generator is restarted.

public array stickyAttributes ( )
return | array | List of sticky attributes

successMessage() public method

Returns the message to be displayed when the newly generated code is saved successfully.

Child classes may override this method to customize the message.

public string successMessage ( )
return | string | The message to be displayed when the newly generated code is saved successfully.

validateClass() public method

An inline validator that checks if the attribute value refers to an existing class name.

If the `extends` option is specified, it will also check if the class is a child class of the class represented by the `extends` option.

public void validateClass ( $attribute, $params )
$attribute | string | The attribute being validated
$params | array | The validation options

validateMessageCategory() public method

Checks if message category is not empty when I18N is enabled.

public void validateMessageCategory ( )

validateNewClass() public method

An inline validator that checks if the attribute value refers to a valid namespaced class name.

The validator will check if the directory containing the new class file exist or not.

public void validateNewClass ( $attribute, $params )
$attribute | string | The attribute being validated
$params | array | The validation options

validateTemplate() public method

Validates the template selection.

This method validates whether the user selects an existing template and the template contains all required template files as specified in requiredTemplates().

public void validateTemplate ( )