Zend Framework 2 command line scripts - zend-framework2

Question

How would run execute a php script via the command line in Zend Framework 2 that bypasses all of the MVC functionality, but so that the script will have access to resources created by a module, such as database connections or a Doctrine EntityManager?
For reference this is what my entry point index.php looks like
<?php
chdir(dirname(__DIR__));
require_once (getenv('ZF2_PATH') ?: 'vendor/ZendFramework/library') . '/Zend/Loader /AutoloaderFactory.php';
Zend\Loader\AutoloaderFactory::factory(array('Zend\Loader\StandardAutoloader' => array()));
$appConfig = include 'config/application.config.php';
$listenerOptions = new Zend\Module\Listener\ListenerOptions($appConfig['module_listener_options']);
$defaultListeners = new Zend\Module\Listener\DefaultListenerAggregate($listenerOptions);
$defaultListeners->getConfigListener()->addConfigGlobPath('config/autoload/*.config.php');
$moduleManager = new Zend\Module\Manager($appConfig['modules']);
$moduleManager->events()->attachAggregate($defaultListeners);
$moduleManager->loadModules();
// Create application, bootstrap, and run
$bootstrap = new Zend\Mvc\Bootstrap($defaultListeners->getConfigListener()->getMergedConfig());
$application = new Zend\Mvc\Application;
$bootstrap->bootstrap($application);
$application->run()->send();

Answer 1

There are several options for a module to configure resources, for example a database connection. For ZF2, the DoctrineModule and DoctrineORMModule are maintained by Doctrine themselves and the Entity Manager is only created when you want to use it. Instead of a ZF1 approach where database connections are created during bootstrap, these modules have a sort-of just-in-time: create the instance just before you need it.
So: you need to configure the connection and entity manager in a module which is done with a Dependency Injection container. That configuration is done by the module, so you should take care the module is configured properly. Then, in your script you pull the entity manager from the DIC and the EM is instantiated, just what you need.
How to configure modules? First, modules are loaded, then initiated. This is both done in the call $moduleManager->loadModules() because of several listeners listening to the load event, thus instantiating the modules and running the init() method for these modules. There is also a listener to get the modules configuration, so DI can be set up properly. At this time, modules are set up, but not always ready to run. The last step to be ready is bootstrapping which is done by the Zend\Mvc\Bootstrap, bootstrapping the Zend\Mvc\Application.
This means if you copy that index.php script, but only remove the last line ($application->run()->send()), the modules are loaded, the DI container is configured and the application bootstrapped. Now you can get the DI locator and grap the entity manager:
$em = $application->getLocator()->get('doctrine_em');
Be aware of the CLI feature of zf2, coming in some of the next beta releases. The RFC is ready at this moment and when ready for experiments, it will be merged in zf2 master. This makes construction of CLI applications much easier. You have one entry point (eg app.php) and the "real work" is just like http MVC applications done by controllers. Once you have this app.php, it will be extremely easy to add more CLI features because it's as simple as adding some more controllers with actions and (possibly) a route to that point.