CakePHP - Create an Offline/Online feature for a site - cakephp

Question

======================================== EDIT ====================================
Per charles suggestion, I accomplished the Offline/Online feature using the following code, based on Charles code:
<?php
Class AppController extends Controller{
// prevents unauthorized access
public $components = array('Auth');
// the name of the model storing site_offline boolean
public $uses = array('Configuration');
// callback invoked before every controller action
public function beforeFilter() {
// returns your site_offline status assuming 0 is offline
if ($this->Configuration->get_site_status() == 1) {
$this->Auth->allow('*');
}else {
if(($this->Configuration->get_site_status() == 0) and (!$this->Auth->user() == null)){
// I set it up like this for now to allow access to any authenticated user,
//but later will change it to only allow admins access thru a login form
$this->Auth->allow('*');
}else{
//If site is offline and user is not authenticated, sent them to
// the a screen using the OFFLINE layout and provide a screen for login.
$this->layout = 'offline';
$this->setFlash('Maintenance Mode. Check back shortly.');
$this->Auth->deny('*');
}
}
}
}
?>
Then I used jQuery to hide my login form. An admin clicks on the message to show the login form. This is an attempt to prevent any login tryouts.
============================ END EDIT ==========================================
I would like to know what is the best way to create a "site offline/online" feature in CakePHP. Basically, I would like to allow an administrator to turn off access to the site to everyone registered or not. The offline page should have a login access thru which only admins can login.
The idea I have is to create some kind of dashboard controller, where as soon as the administrator is logged in he/she will be redirected to this dashboard from where he can access the other controller actions (admin_edit, etc). This dashboard and all admin actions (admin_delete, etc) should use the admin layout.
Is this a good approach? For the offline/online feature should I create a settings table with a site_offline field that can be turned on or off? Where in app_controller and what code should I use to check for it before allowing or not access to the site?
Thanks a lot for your help,

Answer 1

first add a config in the core.config
/*
* This is the site maintenance
* The built in defaults are:
*
* - '1' - Site works
* - '0' - site down for maintenance.
*/
Configure::write('Site.status', 1);
in the AppController you'll check it in the beforeRender function
if (Configure::read('Site.status') == 0) {
$this->layout = 'maintenance';
$this->set('title_for_layout', __('Site_down_for_maintenance_title'));
} else {
// do something
}
i'm here load a separate layout form the maintenance to let me add whatever layout i want

Answer 2

If you were going to save site_offline boolean value in a database table you should be able to easily do this with a callback in AppController and the Auth component.
<?php
AppController extends Object {
// prevents unauthorized access
public $components = array('Auth');
// the name of the model storing site_offline boolean
public $uses = array('NameOfModel');
// callback invoked before every controller action
public function beforeFilter() {
// returns your site_offline status assuming 0 is offline
if ($this->NameOfModel->get_status() === 0) {
$this->Auth->deny('*');
} else {
$this->Auth->allow('*');
}
}
}
I've always liked the idea of the DashboardsController for admin functions. That's actually the exact name of the class I use and the same general idea.