Implemented shortcut methods for returning JSON and XML (#13101)

fixes #13036

framework/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ Yii Framework 2 Change Log
 - Enh #12881: Added `removeValue` method to `yii\helpers\BaseArrayHelper` (nilsburg)
 - Enh #12901: Added `getDefaultHelpHeader` method to the `yii\console\controllers\HelpController` class to be able to override default help header in a class heir (diezztsk)
 - Enh #13035: Use ArrayHelper::getValue() in SluggableBehavior::getValue() (thyseus)
+- Enh #13036: Added shortcut methods `asJson()` and `asXml()` for returning JSON and XML data in web controller actions (cebe)
 - Enh #13020: Added `disabledListItemSubTagOptions` attribute for `yii\widgets\LinkPager` in order to customize the disabled list item sub tag element (nadar)
 - Enh #12988: Changed `textarea` method within the `yii\helpers\BaseHtml` class to allow users to control whether html entities found within `$value` will be double-encoded or not (cyphix333)
 - Enh #13074: Improved `\yii\log\SyslogTarget` with `$options` to be able to change the default `openlog` options. (timbeks)

framework/web/Controller.php

@@ -49,6 +49,60 @@ class Controller extends \yii\base\Controller
         return $this->getView()->renderAjax($view, $params, $this);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Send data formatted as JSON.
+     *
+     * This method is a shortcut for sending data formatted as JSON. It will return
+     * the [[Application::getResponse()|response]] application component after configuring
+     * the [[Response::$format|format]] and setting the [[Response::$data|data]] that should
+     * be formatted. A common usage will be:
+     *
+     * ```php
+     * return $this->asJson($data);
+     * ```
+     *
+     * @param mixed $data the data that should be formatted.
+     * @return Response a response that is configured to send `$data` formatted as JSON.
+     * @since 2.0.11
+     * @see Response::$format
+     * @see Response::FORMAT_JSON
+     * @see JsonResponseFormatter
+     */
+    public function asJson($data)
+    {
+        $response = Yii::$app->getResponse();
+        $response->format = Response::FORMAT_JSON;
+        $response->data = $data;
+        return $response;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Send data formatted as XML.
+     *
+     * This method is a shortcut for sending data formatted as XML. It will return
+     * the [[Application::getResponse()|response]] application component after configuring
+     * the [[Response::$format|format]] and setting the [[Response::$data|data]] that should
+     * be formatted. A common usage will be:
+     *
+     * ```php
+     * return $this->asXml($data);
+     * ```
+     *
+     * @param mixed $data the data that should be formatted.
+     * @return Response a response that is configured to send `$data` formatted as XML.
+     * @since 2.0.11
+     * @see Response::$format
+     * @see Response::FORMAT_XML
+     * @see XmlResponseFormatter
+     */
+    public function asXml($data)
+    {
+        $response = Yii::$app->getResponse();
+        $response->format = Response::FORMAT_XML;
+        $response->data = $data;
+        return $response;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Binds the parameters to the action.
      * This method is invoked by [[\yii\base\Action]] when it begins to run with the given parameters.

tests/framework/web/ControllerTest.php

@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 namespace yiiunit\framework\web;
 
 use Yii;
+use yii\web\Controller;
+use yii\web\Response;
 use yiiunit\TestCase;
 use yiiunit\framework\di\stubs\Qux;
 use yiiunit\framework\web\stubs\Bar;
@@ -38,4 +40,37 @@ class ControllerTest extends TestCase
         $this->assertEquals('avaliable', $other);
 
     }
+
+    public function testAsJson()
+    {
+        $this->mockWebApplication();
+
+        $controller = new Controller('test', Yii::$app);
+        $data = [
+            'test' => 123,
+            'example' => 'data',
+        ];
+        $result = $controller->asJson($data);
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('yii\web\Response', $result);
+        $this->assertSame(Yii::$app->response, $result, 'response should be the same as Yii::$app->response');
+        $this->assertEquals(Response::FORMAT_JSON, $result->format);
+        $this->assertEquals($data, $result->data);
+    }
+
+    public function testAsXml()
+    {
+        $this->mockWebApplication();
+
+        $controller = new Controller('test', Yii::$app);
+        $data = [
+            'test' => 123,
+            'example' => 'data',
+        ];
+        $result = $controller->asXml($data);
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('yii\web\Response', $result);
+        $this->assertSame(Yii::$app->response, $result, 'response should be the same as Yii::$app->response');
+        $this->assertEquals(Response::FORMAT_XML, $result->format);
+        $this->assertEquals($data, $result->data);
+    }
+
 }