Yes, using specific components of the Framework is very easy. It is literally as simple as including the class.
For example, using Zend_Db:
PHP Code:
// set include path to where framework is installed
set_include_path('../library' . PATH_SEPARATOR . get_include_path());
// require the class
require_once 'Zend/Db/Adapter/Pdo/Mysql.php';
// initialize
$db = new Zend_Db_Adapter_Pdo_Mysql(array(
'host' => $dbhost,
'username' => $dbusername,
'password' => $dbpassword,
'dbname' => $dbname
));
// Done! We now have a Zend db adapter for use
$result = $db->fetchAll($db->select()
->from('some_table')
->where('product_id > ?', 4)
->order('product_name ASC')
);
// so on and so forth....
We can go farther, including more and more, here, I'll grab the Zend_Db_Table stuff:
PHP Code:
require_once 'Zend/Db/Table.php';
require_once 'Zend/Db/Table/Abstract.php';
// declare a model
Zend_Db_Table::setDefaultAdapter($db);
class Events extends Zend_Db_Table_Abstract
{
protected $_name = 'events';
}
// Here's a call using the new Model we just set up
$events = new Events();
$event = $events->fetchRow($events->select()->where('id = ?', 5);
This is all done
without using the Framework for MVC or anything, and this is, of course, by no means limited to the Db classes, you can do this for anything and everything in the Framework.
My recommendation for your particular case, would be to build the project in the way with which you are comfortable. Don't use the Framework for MVC, etc. But, use some of it's components that you may find useful.