title: Should I convert timestamps\null values in my models before they get to the view layer?
body: <p>This question is specific to zf2 but I think this may also be a more general MVC question.</p>
  
  <p>I created a column in my mysql DB which my application uses (lets say a user entity's description field) that is stored as a string. This field is optional and if the value was never changed by the program it is set to null.</p>
  
  <p>I'm using zf2's table gateway so I have a model for this table.</p>
  
  <p>Right now in my view template I check if the value is null and if it is display this to the user as "Not entered", but I was wondering if my I should do this in the model? For example in the model for this table I check if the value is null and change it to "Not Entered" so this way I could remove this logic from my template. The downside though would be that when I use the model to do an update of the table I may have to convert back to null.</p>
  
  <p>I do it that way now for timestamps. I convert timestamps in my model to date strings before they get the view layer (maybe I should be converting the timestamps in my view templates instead?)</p>
  
  <p>Do most zf2 developers just take care of this in the view templates or is there some advantage to doing this in the model I'm not seeing.</p>