silverstripe-framework/docs/en/02_Developer_Guides/09_Security/00_Member.md

title: Members

Member

Introduction

The [api:Member] class is used to represent user accounts on a SilverStripe site (including newsletter recipients).

Testing For Logged In Users

The [api:Member] class comes with 2 static methods for getting information about the current logged in user.

Member::currentUserID()

Retrieves the ID (int) of the current logged in member. Returns 0 if user is not logged in. Much lighter than the next method for testing if you just need to test.

:::php
// Is a member logged in?
if( Member::currentUserID() ) {
	// Yes!
} else {
	// No!
}

Member::currentUser()

Returns the full Member Object for the current user, returns null if user is not logged in.

:::php
if( $member = Member::currentUser() ) {
	// Work with $member
} else {
	// Do non-member stuff
}

Subclassing

This is the least desirable way of extending the [api:Member] class. It's better to use [api:DataExtension] (see below).

You can define subclasses of [api:Member] to add extra fields or functionality to the built-in membership system.

:::php
class MyMember extends Member {
	private static $db = array(
		"Age" => "Int",
		"Address" => "Text",
	);
}

To ensure that all new members are created using this class, put a call to [api:Object::useCustomClass()] in (project)/_config.php:

:::php
Object::useCustomClass("Member", "MyMember");

Note that if you want to look this class-name up, you can call Object::getCustomClass("Member")

Overloading getCMSFields()

If you overload the built-in public function getCMSFields(), then you can change the form that is used to view & edit member details in the newsletter system. This function returns a [api:FieldList] object. You should generally start by calling parent::getCMSFields() and manipulate the [api:FieldList] from there.

:::php
public function getCMSFields() {
	$fields = parent::getCMSFields();
	$fields->insertBefore("HTMLEmail", new TextField("Age"));
	$fields->removeByName("JobTitle");
	$fields->removeByName("Organisation");
	return $fields;
}

Extending Member or DataObject?

Basic rule: Class [api:Member] should just be extended for entities who have some kind of login. If you have different types of [api:Member]s in the system, you have to make sure that those with login-capabilities have unique email-addresses (as this is used for login-credentials). For persons without login-capabilities (e.g. for an address-database), you shouldn't extend [api:Member] to avoid conflicts with the Member-database. This enables us to have a different subclass of [api:Member] for an email-address with login-data, and another subclass for the same email-address in the address-database.

Member Role Extension

Using inheritance to add extra behaviour or data fields to a member is limiting, because you can only inherit from 1 class. A better way is to use role extensions to add this behaviour. Add the following to your [config.yml](/developer_guides/configuration/configuration/#configuration-yaml-syntax-and-rules).

:::yml
Member:
  extensions:
    - MyMemberExtension

A role extension is simply a subclass of [api:DataExtension] that is designed to be used to add behaviour to [api:Member]. The roles affect the entire class - all members will get the additional behaviour. However, if you want to restrict things, you should add appropriate [api:Permission::checkMember()] calls to the role's methods.

:::php
class MyMemberExtension extends DataExtension {
  /**

   * Modify the field set to be displayed in the CMS detail pop-up
   */
  public function updateCMSFields(FieldList $currentFields) {
    // Only show the additional fields on an appropriate kind of use 
    if(Permission::checkMember($this->owner->ID, "VIEW_FORUM")) {
      // Edit the FieldList passed, adding or removing fields as necessary
    }
  }

	// define additional properties
	private static $db = array(); 
	private static $has_one = array(); 
	private static $has_many = array(); 
	private static $many_many = array(); 
	private static $belongs_many_many = array(); 

  public function somethingElse() {
    // You can add any other methods you like, which you can call directly on the member object.
  }
}

API Documentation

[api:Member]