Trying to override _beforeSave method and Magento calling both custom method and core method as well

Question

All I am trying to override the _beforeSave() method in resource model Mage_Customer_Model_Resource_Customer.

There is no problem in overriding as I can get the call to my custom _beforeSave method in my Custom Class.

Config for my custom Class is:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<config>
 <modules>
 <Abc_Customer>
 <version>0.1.0</version>
 </Abc_Customer>
 </modules>
 <global> 
 <models>
 <cust>
 <class>Abc_Customer_Model</class> 
 <resourceModel>cust_resource</resourceModel> 
 </cust> 
 <cust_resource>
 <class>Abc_Customer_Model_Resource</class>
 </cust_resource>
 <customer_resource>
 <rewrite>
 <customer>Abc_Customer_Model_Resource_Customer</customer>
 </rewrite> 
 </customer_resource> 
 </models>
 </global>
</config>

After that I have created the Abc_Customer_Model_Resource_Customer class, copied the _beforeSave method from the core class and changed according to need.

But the problem is now that magento is calling both of the methods.

How can I stop this behaviour and just let only my custom method to run?

Please suggest.

Thanks

Answer 1

The problem is not actually a problem. If you copied the original _beforeSave() then this line is in there:

parent::_beforeSave($customer);

This the original class this was used to call the method in the parent class: Mage_Eav_Model_Entity_Abstract::_beforeSave().
This is what basically happens to your new class. The method _beforeSave() from the parent is called from your method. Only now the parent of your class is Mage_Customer_Model_Resource_Customer, so the original method is called.
What you need it something like parent::parent::_beforeSave($customer) which in PHP can be done by using the grandparent_class_name::method

parent::_beforeSave($customer) 

with

Mage_Eav_Model_Entity_Abstract::_beforeSave($customer)

• ProxiBlue: PHP actually does support doing parent::parent by using the parent class name::method, thus replacing the 'parent::_beforeSave($customer) with Mage_Eav_Model_Entity_Abstract::_beforeSave($customer)' will work to call the grandparent class function. This has (at times) caused quite a debate in our office, as some claim this breaks OOP conventions ;) Ref: php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.paamayim-nekudotayim.php "...allows access to static, constant, and overridden properties or methods of a class." ref: bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=42016
• Marius: @ProxiBlue OK....so I learn new thing every day :). I did not know that. Feel free to edit my answer.
• Ricky Sharma: I appreciate your help. I was wondering, is there could be any other way to do the same like this could get confusing for other people to understand.
• Marius: @RIK. Well...everything can be confusing to some people. This is the way magento works for extending classes.
• ProxiBlue: @Marius - Please note that as of PHP5.4, calling the parent::parent method statically as described now throws a strict warning. ref: stackoverflow.com/questions/10768576/… (to notice is that the PHP docs for the :: does not reflect this)

Answer 2

You need to know where the second call is originating from.

It could be that something else is extending that core class, and also doing a save, thus making the second call.

If you are using a debugger, then place a breakpoint on the core _beforeSave() and check the stack trace to see where the call is originating from. You'd be interested in the calling class instance name.

If no debugger, use PHP debug_backtrace to get a trace of the execution to that call.

Once you can find where it originates from, then you'd most likely solve the issue.