Form entity for multiple models

Question

Form entity for multiple models

MSPGraphics Sep '16

Created Sep '16	Last Reply Sep '16	Replies 2	Views 1047	Votes 1

MSPGraphics 2.7k

Sep '16

Hi there,

I have a question concerning the entities of the phalcon-forms. I have a form-model, which is used to manipulate data of two models simultaneously. One user-model with basic user-information and one corresponding profile-model (profile belongs to user) . Based on the user-type, there are different profile models, which is why I have to split both models up.

My question is how to bind the entity-data of both models to my single-form?

$user = User::findFirst($id);
$profile = $user->getProfile();

/** With this, only fields corresponding to the user-model are filled out in the form*/
 $this->view->form = new UserForm($user);

/** With this, only fields corresponding to the profile-model are filled out in the form*/
 $this->view->form = new UserForm($profile);

Is there a way to combine both models in one entitity or something?

1

Nikolay Mihaylov · Answer 1 · 2016-09-21T01:04:13-07:00

Hey, I'm using QueryBuilder with Joins for this when needed. It's just important that the "Entity" object has the fields in the form.

Here is an example of old project of mine:

// Controller
$user = $obj->getEditUserProfile($this->session->user->id);   
$form = new UsersEditForm($user); 

// Model
public function getEditUserProfile($id)
{
    return $this->modelsManager->createBuilder() 
        ->columns(array(
            'Users.id AS user_id', 
            'name', 
            'email',
            'about', 
            'location'
        ))
        ->from(array('Users' => 'Modules\Frontend\Models\Users'))
        ->leftJoin('Modules\Frontend\Models\UserDetails', 'UserDetails.user_id = Users.id', 'UserDetails')
        ->where('Users.id = :id:', ['id' => $id])
        ->getQuery()
        ->getSingleResult();
}

Please note it's old code, but you get the idea ;)

MSPGraphics · Answer 2 · 2016-09-21T12:26:12-07:00

Thanks Nikolay, but I think I don't understand your example. Are you making a new Database-Query with the query-builder? Isn't it possible to build an entity object based on the existing data of my models? Because I already have all the data stored in $user and $profile ...

Nikolay Mihaylov · Answer 3 · 2016-09-21T14:47:04-07:00

I'm not using model mehods at all, but as far as i know entity must be one object that has the properties/inputs of the form class.

You can try to "merge" the two objects from models::findFirst, something hacky like this: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/455700/what-is-the-best-method-to-merge-two-php-objects

$merged = (object) array_merge(
    $obj1->toArray(), 
    $obj2->toArray()
);

That's my best guess at the moment, if I get some better idea after some sleep I'll let you know! Also let's hope someone else has better idea and faced the same issue.

MSPGraphics · Answer 4 · 2016-09-22T01:07:55-07:00

I already tried that, but I guess the data-fields must be stored as class properties in the entity, because the form-model can't process array-data. Anyway, your post helped my find a solution by simply adding the profile-properties dynamically to the user-model before sending it to the edit-form:

$user = User::findFirst($id);
if($user) {
  $profile = $user->getProfile();
  $user->vorname = $profile->vorname;
  $user->nachname = $profile->nachname;
  $this->view->form = new UserForm($user, ["edit" => true]);
}

This is not nice, but it works.

Since the profile has a relation to the user model, it should be possible to define their relation in the form-model already, so the form automatically searches for the profile-fields in the related profile-model. I don't know if thats possible though but it would be nice.