Following on the heels of the beta 3 release of the Zend Framework 2, Rob Allen has been posting more about its features and what's changed from the version 1 world. In this new post he looks at some examples of how to use the newly refactored ZendView component.

With the release of Beta 3 of Zend Framework, we now have a significantly refactored the ZendView component. One of the changes made is that there is a ViewModel object that is returned from a controller which contains the variables to be used within the view script along with meta information such as the view script to render. [...] However, we can do many more interesting things than this and I've put together a test application with a controller showing some of the things that can be done.

Included in the post includes two snippets of code from the sample project - how to change the layout in the action and creating another view model at the layout level.

Kevin Schroeder has a new post to his blog about some of his first trials with the DI container that comes with the Zend Framework 2.

With beta 3 now being released I have started to spend some time getting used to the new MVC components and the architecture in general. I turns out that was too much. When I learn something new I like to start with something broken and fix it. [...] So since I already know how to use event managers the next most basic thing I needed to understand was Dependency Injection. It turned out that I was actually using Dependency Injection and just didn't know it.

He starts with the most basic setup - a "Di" container with one class, "Test", added to it. He also shows how to inject things into the class inside the container and how to use a "setter" inside the called class.

Kevin Schroeder is looking for suggestions. He wants to know what the PHP community wants to hear about in upcoming webinars from Zend.

Just wrapped up a call working on our webinar schedule for the year. We've got a bunch of ideas but we'd like to also get your input as well. Yes, I know y'all want ZF2 webinars. We have that down. I would also like to do an HTML5 and mobile webinar but I need an SME (Subject Matter Expert) for that. [...] I would also love to have webinars on how to use various API's, even if there is not native PHP support. So, what kinds of webinars do you want?

Leave your suggestions in his comments along with one already suggesting a "Why PHP?" checklist of sorts to help encourage companies/employers to go with the language.

Matthew Weier O'Phinney has posted a guide to modules in ZF2 - some helpful hints to get you started writing modules for the Zend Framework 2 to fit into the new architecture.

During ZendCon this year, we released 2.0.0beta1 of Zend Framework. The key story in the release is the creation of a new MVC layer, and to sweeten the story, the addition of a modular application architecture. "Modular? What's that mean?" For ZF2, "modular" means that your application is built of one or more "modules". In a lexicon agreed upon during our IRC meetings, a module is a collection of code and other files that solves a specific atomic problem of the application or website.

He starts with a definition of a module as a reusable, self-contained object that can contain the code for one functional piece of the application (like a "forum" module or "blog" module). He gets more technical with a code-level module example structure and example code for setting up a "blog" module with autoloading and a little ACL. He includes the code you'll need to tell the module manager about the module and a few helpful tips/tricks he's found along the way.

On PHPBuilder.com Jason Gilmore has posted a first peek at Zend Framework 2, an upcoming reworking of the popular framework with PHP 5.3-centric features.

Version 2.0 seeks to improve upon the current release in a number of ways, focusing on making it easier to get started using the framework, improving performance, and fully embracing the latest PHP language enhancements made available to version 5.3. [...] Although the official release won't be out for several more months, it never hurts to take an early look at what the future holds for a technology used by countless PHP developers around the globe. In this article I'll present a meandering introduction to the key version 2.0 features that I find particularly compelling.

He starts with a brief tutorial on getting the latest version of ZF2 from the git repository and creating basic project. The changes in the framework have fallen into a "rewrite only where it makes sense" mentality and changes have really only been made transparently to the backend or as new features/components like module management and Doctrine 2 integration. He also points out a few resources you can use to keep up to date on the latest from the framework including the changelog, mailing list and the ZF2 blog.

Rob Allen has a quick note for fans (or those just discovering) his "Getting Started with Zend Framework" tutorial - he's posted an updated version for ZF2 beta 1.

Getting started with Zend Framework 2 (beta1), creates the same application as my ZF1 tutorial, so it should be very familiar, but this time, it's in the context of Zend Framework 2. As usual, it's a PDF too.

This latest version gives you a gentle introduction to the framework and steps you through the creation of a sample music inventory system. It includes code and explanations of how set up modules, controllers, models and views and how to tie them all together. If you're new to the framework and want to get off and running quickly, I'd highly recommend his tutorial.

For anyone looking to get started helping on the Zend Framework 2 project but not sure where to begin, Robert Basic has some recommendations of places to look.

OK, here are some tips and resources so you can start helping out and contributing to Zend Framework 2.0.

Things on the list include:

• a getting started page on the ZF wiki
• Fixing unit tests on the framework
• working on the port of ZendService
• Porting patches from ZF1 to ZF2
• Check out the quickstart on github to get the ball rolling

As Rob Allen points out, the PHP North West conference is happening again this year and includes a Zend Framework 2 tutorial day session as taught by him.

The fabulous PHPNW conference is back again this year on October 8th and 9th and tickets are now for sale for a mere £72. Buy now! as you only have a few days left at that price. There's no need to wait for the schedule as we know from the past 3 years, that it's going to be a great selection of relevant topics. More importantly, this year there's a tutorial day on Friday 7th October which is also very cost-effective at £330 for the tutorial day and the conference.

He mentions some of the other tutorials happening the same day including a look at Drupal performance and tools, web services and maintainable application development through components. If you're interested in the sessions and what they're about, check out the tutorial day page on the PHPNW website.

Rob Allen has a new post today about the upcoming Zend Framework 2 release and how, with a little convincing, you can get ZF1 and ZF2 to play nicely alongside each other with Zend_Tool.

If you want to play with the development versions of Zend Framework 2.0, then it's handy to be able to create ZF2 projects using the ZendTool command line tool. Rather unhelpfully, ZF2's ZendTool uses the same ini file (~/.zf.ini) as ZF1's Zend_Tool and the same zf.sh script filename, so you can't just put zf2 on to your path and it'll all just work. I am assuming that you're like me and have production sites using ZF1, so you probably don't want to mess up your current zf.sh usage. This is how I implemented side-by-side ZF cli scripts.

His is a three step process that involves the install of a copy of the Zend Framework 2 somewhere on your system, creating a new ini file for it and create a new bash script (called "zf2") that defines the new ini file location as a command line variable.