How can I use a model of other component in my component?

Question

I'm building a component and It needs access the #__content table. The component com_content does everything that my component needs to do in that table. How can I import the com_content models into the controllers in my component?

Is a good practice to use a existent table instead to create my own? My component is going to show a photo gallery with comments and I want to use the #__content table to store the comments. Should I create a new table to the comments?

Answer 1

You can import com_content models into the controller using addIncludePath() method:

JModelLegacy::addIncludePath(JPATH_SITE . '/components/com_content/models', 'ContentModel');

addIncludePath() method adds a directory where JModelLegacy should search for models. You may either pass a string or an array of directories as the first parameter. As the second parameter you can specify class prefix for models (optional).

Then just use getInstance() method:

$model = JModelLegacy::getInstance('Articles', 'ContentModel', array('ignore_request' => true));

The first parameter is the model type to instantiate, the second is the prefix for the model class name (optional) and the third parameter is configuration array for model (optional).

But I prefer not to use existing core components tables for custom components.

Answer 2

You may get an error like this:

Call to a member function load() on boolean

That mean you need to add JTable::addIncludePath also

Admin Model:

function getModelAdmin($component, $name = 'Custom', $prefix = 'CustomModel')
{
    JTable::addIncludePath(JPATH_ADMINISTRATOR . '/components/' . $component . '/tables', $prefix);
    JModelLegacy::addIncludePath(JPATH_ADMINISTRATOR . '/components/' . $component . '/models', $prefix);
    $model = JModelLegacy::getInstance($name, $prefix, array('ignore_request' => true));
    return $model;
}

Site Model:

function getModelSite($component, $name = 'Custom', $prefix = 'CustomModel')
{
    JTable::addIncludePath(JPATH_SITE . '/components/' . $component . '/tables', $prefix);
    JModelLegacy::addIncludePath(JPATH_SITE . '/components/' . $component . '/models', $prefix);
    $model = JModelLegacy::getInstance($name, $prefix, array('ignore_request' => true));
    return $model;
}