PHP input needed regarding frameworks

[psili]

Was wondering what PHP folks have used for frameworks in regard to the following:

1. This is a "framework" question, not a CMS question. Don't need a CMS.
2. The site is up and running already, so I don't need a RAD / Agile / BlahBlah environment for starting from scratch. Just need to port to some better standard.
3. The site can have many themes with the same functionality, driven by the same database and processors. It can also be "white labeled" to have it's own database, processors and a bit of varying functionality but driven by the same code base.
4. I've checked out CakePHP and don't really dig it. I'm currently looking at Symfony which looks promising but pretty heavy in regard to installation, though my fav so far. A developer I work with is evaluating CodeIgniter.
5. The code base will not only facilitate webpages but will also have hooks for API calls and "widgets" of sorts (however abstract that shit sounds).

My dream would be a very configurable framework with a solid database abstraction layer of sorts as well as being extensible. We're not going Java and are committed to a LAMP stack. We've had our RoR discussion months ago and aren't going that route either.

Any input on what people have used including pluses / minuses would be very welcome.
Thank you kindly kids.

[brandonstills]

I was looking at Symfony a while back. I was kind of turned off by the installation requirements as well. I remember I had some issues installing it and it took some tweaking to get it working. Although, in theory, really liked it.

Looking into RoR for some stuff now. What was the result of the discussion on that. Why did you guys decide against it?

[psili]

Originally Posted by brandonstills

I was looking at Symfony a while back. I was kind of turned off by the installation requirements as well. I remember I had some issues installing it and it took some tweaking to get it working. Although, in theory, really liked it.

Looking into RoR for some stuff now. What was the result of the discussion on that. Why did you guys decide against it?

I wish I had time to play more with RoR and Ruby. Fun framework and language and from what I remember, if you use Apache's mod_proxy to various Mongrel servers running on different ports for your application, it can become quite scalable. However, my learning phase ended at that.

I did a couple of projects in RoR and pretty much liked the framework for rapid development. However, in regard to my current needs; it's a startup company and RoR developers are short to come by and just trying to find a developer, regardless of language, that's not pulling bullshit on their skills, it's even more difficult.

I'm not a bad-ass developer by any means. Thus the question on frameworks. At the moment I'm stepping thru Symfony; seeing what it would take to get the current homepage working under that framework. And was curious what other frameworks were out there for trying.

[dozey]

You'll probably never find such a thing . As you know, there is no bundled framework and third party solutions are always going to be any combination of inflexbile, "bloated" and mediocre (most likely all of them). It's the PHP way.

[psili]

Originally Posted by dozey

You'll probably never find such a thing . As you know, there is no bundled framework and third party solutions are always going to be any combination of inflexbile, "bloated" and mediocre (most likely all of them). It's the PHP way.

That's the roadblock I'm trying to test through, man. I'm not a java guy, but playing with Spring and Struts, I ran into the same issues: bloat, gotta wire stuff up, yadda yadda yadda. However, if I get hit by a bus, I'm just looking for some standard of sorts to try and mesh with current functional requirements and code base so a new developer can quickly help. *shrug*

I guess if it was all easy, monkey's would be doing it for bananas, or something. *lol*

[ShaveBucks]

Yeah, I tend to start with a clean slate and do my own thing as "frameworks" tend to have a ton of garbage in it that I'd either never use, or would get in my way of forcing me to do things their way rather than mine.

You also run the security risk of having everyone and anyone have a copy of a large portion of your code. You'll be constantly updating that framework of yours as new holes/vulnerabilities are discovered.

[psili]

Originally Posted by ShaveBucks

Yeah, I tend to start with a clean slate and do my own thing as "frameworks" tend to have a ton of garbage in it that I'd either never use, or would get in my way of forcing me to do things their way rather than mine.

You also run the security risk of having everyone and anyone have a copy of a large portion of your code. You'll be constantly updating that framework of yours as new holes/vulnerabilities are discovered.

Yea, I hear what yer sayin. However, I already wrote a bunch of stuff; extended Smarty, pass a controller object and a hacked DB layer. I just want to port to my crap to a framework of sorts so it's no: My random controller helper method "designersCanKissMyAss($args)" method. The team's already on the bus to not be design driven. Just wanted some framework ideas, or any ideas.