Yii2 ActiveRecord Model best practice - php

Question

I have these classes:
Model:
namespace app\models;
use \yii\db\ActiveRecord;
class MyModel extends ActiveRecord {
public function rules() {
return [
[['name'], 'required'],
[['id'], 'default', 'value' => null]
];
}
}
Controller:
<?php
namespace app\controllers;
use Yii;
use yii\web\Controller;
use app\models\MyModel;
class MymodelController extends Controller{
public function actionEdit($id = null){
$model = new MyModel();
if ($model->load(Yii::$app->request->post()) && $model->validate() && $model->save()) {
Yii::$app->session->setFlash('msg', 'Model has been saved with ID ' . $model->id);
}
return $this->render('edit', [
'model' => $model
]);
}
}
View:
<?php
use yii\helpers\Html;
use yii\widgets\ActiveForm;
?>
<?php if(Yii::$app->session->hasFlash('msg')): ?>
<div class="alert alert-success"><?= Yii::$app->session->getFlash('msg'); ?></div>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php $form = ActiveForm::begin(); ?>
<?= Html::activeHiddenInput($model, 'id'); ?>
<?= $form->field($model, 'name') ?>
<?= Html::submitButton('Submit', ['class' => 'btn btn-primary']) ?>
<?php ActiveForm::end(); ?>
I want to use this view for editing and for inserting. Editing does not work as it is, because I am creating a new object instead of changing an existing one in the Controller. I am unsure what is the best practice here or if I am missing some already existing built in function?
Should I create my own model class and implement the logic model <-> active record in the controller
or
Should I just re query the database with the $model->id in the controller and copy all properties if needed?

Answer 1

you should use two actions for edit and insertion
for edit first find the model
$model = $this->findModel($id);
if ($model->load(Yii::$app->request->post()) && $model->save()) {
return $this->redirect(['view', 'id' => $model->id]);
} else {
return $this->render('edit', [
'model' => $model,
]);
}
protected function findModel($id)
{
if (($model = MyModel::findOne($id)) !== null) {
return $model;
} else {
throw new NotFoundHttpException('The requested page does not exist.');
}
}
if you use CRUD for generating your controller you don't have to write these actions.

Answer 2

For CRUD (Create, Read/View, Update and delete) you can use gii. This power tool generate automatically all you need for an ActiveRecord, Controller with the basic action (index, view, create, update, delete, find) and related view.
In gii you first genearate model class and then generate CRUD for this class.
But the most informant things all this information are coerently related each other
see this doc is very useful and the best pratice for Yii2 is embetted in the tool
http://www.yiiframework.com/doc-2.0/guide-start-gii.html

Answer 3

In Your Create action:
public function actionCreate()
{
$model = new Yourmodel();
if ($model->load(Yii::$app->request->post())) {
if($model->save()){
return $this->redirect(['view']);
}
}
return $this->render('create', [
'model' => $model,
]);
}
In your Update action:
public function actionUpdate($id)
{
$model = $this->findModel($id);
if ($model->load(Yii::$app->request->post())) {
if($model->save()){
return $this->redirect(['view', 'id' => $model->id]);
}
}
return $this->render('update', [
'model' => $model,
]);
}