On his blog, Markus Wolff has posted this handy tip for users of the Zend Framework, detailing how to extend the Zend_Controller_action.

Today, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to talk about beefing up the most central component of the Zend_Frameworks MVC package: Zend_Action_Controller. The Controller basically is a class wherein you define one method for each individual action you want the controller to perform. Which controller and action is being called is deduced from the URL you've typed into your browser.

He notes that this default functionality is good, but it can be enhanced with a simple process, easily to implement for any Framework user. He details the process for his readers, explaining the parts that will need to be in place. He also includes the source for the parts he creates, making it simple to understand.