Difference between #5 and #4 of Add information to Yii::app()->user by extending CWebUser

This little tutorial explains a way how you can retrieve more parameters from
**Yii::app()->user** by adding a component that extends **CWebUser** and
retrieves the user information from database table named User.

There is also another method of doing this that retrieves the variables from
session or cookie instead:  
[How to add more information to Yii::app()->user (based on session or
cookie)](http://www.yiiframework.com/doc/cookbook/6/)

**Steps to follow:**  
1. Make sure you have got an database User model.  
2. Create a component that extends CWebUser.  
3. Specify in the config.php what user class the application must use.

**1. The User model should be a file like this, that you probably already have,
anyway for who doesn't:**
~~~
[php]
<?php

// this file must be stored in:
// protected/models/User.php

class User extends CActiveRecord
{
	/**
	 * Returns the static model of the specified AR class.
	 * @return CActiveRecord the static model class
	 */
	public static function model($className=__CLASS__)
	{
		return parent::model($className);
	}

	/**
	 * @return string the associated database table name
	 */
	public function tableName()
	{
		return 'User';
	}
}
?>
~~~

**2. Then we create the WebUser component:**
~~~
[php]
<?php

// this file must be stored in:
// protected/components/WebUser.php

class WebUser extends CWebUser {

  // Store model to not repeat query.
  private $_model;

  // Return first name.
  // access it by Yii::app()->user->first_name
  function getFirst_Name(){
    $user = $this->loadUser(Yii::app()->user->id);
    return $user->first_name;
  }

  // This is a function that checks the field 'role'
  // in the User model to be equal to 1, that means it's admin
  // access it by Yii::app()->user->isAdmin()
  function isAdmin(){
    $user = $this->loadUser(Yii::app()->user->id);
    return intval($user->role) == 1;
  }

  // Load user model.
  protected function loadUser($id=null)
	{
		if($this->_model===null)
		{
			if($id!==null)
				$this->_model=User::model()->findByPk($id);
		}
		return $this->_model;
	}
}
?>
~~~

**3. The last step, configure the application**
~~~
[php]

// you must edit protected/config/config.php
// and find the application components part
// you should have other components defined there
// just add the user component or if you 
// already have it only add 'class' => 'WebUser',

// application components
'components'=>array(
	'user'=>array(
		'class' => 'WebUser',
		),
),

~~~

That's all now you can use the following commands:  
Yii::app()->user->first_name - property that returns name  
Yii::app()->user->isAdmin() - function that returns admin status  
And now you can add all the functions you want to WebUser component.

### Links
[Chinese
version](http://dreamneverfall.cn/node/74)version](http://projects.ourplanet.tk/node/74)