Hi all,

I've been using framework for quite a long time and now I want start using Zend_Layout to tidy up my code.

I have several modules including default and ajax. What I need to do is change (or disable) layouts per module. For example, I would like to use different layout for all my ajax module (basically all ajax controllers/actions).

Also I would like to assign different stylesheets and javascripts to different modules as well as set different headTitle for specific modules and do other stuff that I would otherwise do in a controller or a .phtml file.

I've spent entire day today trying to understand how to do it to no avail. It's driving me crazy and that's why out of despair I am asking for your help

Can anyone either explain how to do it or point me to some nice tutorials that explain exactly this?

Thanks in advance!

Gosh, sometimes one has to ask a question to find an answer himself...
Two minutes after I posted the topic, I found an explanation here: Per Module Zend_Layout | Views From The Hill

You can do it by calling
[PHP]$layout = Zend_Layout::getMvcInstance();[/PHP]
in your plugins preDispatch() function and then you can do something like this:
[PHP]
<?php

class Custom_Plugin_Dispatcher extends Zend_Controller_Plugin_Abstract
{

public function preDispatch(Zend_Controller_Request_Abstract $request)
{
$module = $request->getModuleName();
$controller = $request->getControllerName();
$action = $request->getActionName();

$layout = Zend_Layout::getMvcInstance();

switch ($controller) {
case 'index':
// use default layout specified in your bootstrap
break;

case 'ajax':
$layout->setLayout('ajax');
break;

case 'error:
$layout->setLayout('error');
break;

default:
$layout->disableLayout();
break;
}
}

public function postDispatch(Zend_Controller_Request_Abstract $request)
{
}

}

?>
[/PHP]

Hmm, nevertheless, I still have a question: how can I set things like headTitle() in the preDispatch function?
I am trying to do this:
[PHP]
$layout = Zend_Layout::getMvcInstance();
$layout->headTitle()->prepend(SITE_TITLE);
$layout->headTitle()->setSeparator(' - ');
[/PHP]
and I get an error
What am doing wrong?

This turned out to be my own monologue

Luckily I found a solution myself again by reading Zend/Layout.php file.
Here's how my preDispatch function looks now:
[PHP]
public function preDispatch(Zend_Controller_Request_Abstract $request)
{
$module = $request->getModuleName();
$controller = $request->getControllerName();
$action = $request->getActionName();

$layout = Zend_Layout::getMvcInstance();
$layout->getView()->headTitle()->prepend(SITE_TITLE);
$layout->getView()->headTitle()->setSeparator(' - ');

switch ($module) {
case 'default':
break;

case 'ajax':
$layout->disableLayout();
break;

default:
break;
}
}
[/PHP]

Hope this helps someone...

saved my day.. thank you!