In a previous example, we’ve seen how to extend ActivityPub types with types customization, extending PHP class.
There is another method to dynamically extend defined types or to define new ones.
This method is based on ActivityPhp\Type\Dialect tool.
In this manual, we’ll only see basics of its API. For more practical aspects, there is a dedicated example in server’s part.
In order to create a new dialect, you have to extend ActivityPub types.
Let’s start with adding 2 properties to the Person type.
$dialect = [
// Add fields to one type
'Person' => ['featured', 'uuid'],
];
Sometimes, you need to attach several properties to several types;
$dialect = [
// Add fields to several types with | separator
'Person|Application' => [
'featured', 'manuallyApprovesFollowers'
],
];
When a type does not exist, it is transparently created.
$dialect = [
// Add fields to a new type
'MyNewType' => [
'propertyOne', 'propertyTwo'
],
];
After defining it, you have to load it.
use ActivityPhp\Type;
use ActivityPhp\Type\Dialect;
// Dialect definition
$dialect = [
// Add fields to one type
'Person' => ['featured', 'uuid'],
];
// Add and load this dialect
Dialect::add('mydialect', $dialect);
// Now you can use this property
$person = Type::create('Person');
$person->featured = true;
Of course, you may accomplish that in one step:
use ActivityPhp\Type\Dialect;
// Define, add and load this dialect
Dialect::add('mydialect', [
// Add fields to one type
'Person' => ['featured', 'uuid'],
]);
It may be useful to add a set of dialects without allowing them.
It’s the role of the 3rd parameter. Dialects definitions are stacked, ready to be loaded but not usable.
use ActivityPhp\Type\Dialect;
// Dialect definition
$dialect = [
// Add fields to one type
'Person' => ['featured', 'uuid'],
];
// Add 2 definitions but not load these dialects
Dialect::add('mydialect1', $dialect, false);
Dialect::add('mydialect2', $dialect, false);
This way, your dialects are configurable as plugins among contexts.
To complete this usage, you have a Dialect::load() method
Based on previous example, you may now load specifically a particular dialect.
// Load only mydialect1
Dialect::load('mydialect1');
// Load all available dialects
Dialect::load('*');
Sometimes, you need to keep only ActivityPub standard vocabulary.
You can unload dialects.
// Unload only mydialect1
Dialect::unload('mydialect1');
// Unload all available dialects
Dialect::unload('*');