CakePHP SaveAssociated / SaveAll ignoring fields - php

Question

I am having an issue where CakePHP is ignoring saving a field I specify and instead creating extra records. I am using CakePHP 2.3.6.
My table looks like this:
CREATE TABLE `events_guests` (
`id` int(11) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
`guest_id` int(11) NOT NULL,
`event_id` int(11) NOT NULL,
`promoter_id` int(11) DEFAULT NULL,
`created` datetime NOT NULL,
`modified` datetime NOT NULL,
`attended` varchar(15) NOT NULL DEFAULT 'No',
PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
)
Heres the code
public function addGuest($event_id, $promoter_id = null) {
if ($this->request->is('post')) {
$this->Guest->create();
$event_data = array('event_id' => $event_id);
$data = $this->request->data;
$data['Event'] = $event_data;
if($promoter_id) {
$data['Event']['promoter_id'] = $promoter_id;
}
if ($this->Guest->saveAssociated($data)) {
$this->Session->setFlash(__('The guest has been added to the guestlist'), 'flash/success');
} else {
$this->Session->setFlash(__('The guest could not be saved. Please, try again.'), 'flash/error');
}
Here is my data that I am trying to save:
Array (
[Guest] => Array
(
[first_name] => Joe
[last_name] => Schmoe
)
[Event] => Array
(
[event_id] => 1
[promoter_id] => 2
)
)
My Models follow:
class Guest extends AppModel {
public $hasAndBelongsToMany = array(
'Event' => array(
'className' => 'Event',
'joinTable' => 'events_guests',
'foreignKey' => 'guest_id',
'associationForeignKey' => 'event_id',
'unique' => 'true',
),
'Promoter' => array(
'className' => 'Promoter',
'joinTable' => 'events_guests',
'foreignKey' => 'guest_id',
'associationForeignKey' => 'promoter_id',
'unique' => 'true',
)
);
}
And
class Event extends AppModel {
public $hasAndBelongsToMany = array(
'Guest' => array(
'className' => 'Guest',
'joinTable' => 'events_guests',
'foreignKey' => 'event_id',
'associationForeignKey' => 'guest_id',
'unique' => 'keepExisting',
'order' => 'last_name',
),
'Promoter' => array(
'className' => 'Promoter',
'joinTable' => 'events_promoters',
'foreignKey' => 'event_id',
'associationForeignKey' => 'promoter_id',
'unique' => 'keepExisting',
)
);
}
The results from this are 2 records for EventsGuests, neither with a promoter_id.
One record receives event_id = 1 AS EXPECTED
Other record receives event_id = 2, which is actually the promoter_id
I have tried using a mix of saveAssociated and saveAll
Any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Answer 1

Reference: Cakephp save extra attribute in HABTM relation
For your problem, don't use HABTM, because, HABTM is normally use for connect 2 tables.
So, if you have more than 2 fields, create a model and use it like belongsTo and hasMany relationships.
class Event extends AppModel {
$hasMany = array(
'EventGuest' => array(
'className' => 'EventGuest',
'foreignKey' => 'event_id'
)
);
}
class Guest extends AppModel {
$hasMany = array(
'EventGuest' => array(
'className' => 'EventGuest',
'foreignKey' => 'guest_id'
)
);
}
class Promoter extends AppModel {
$hasMany = array(
'EventGuest' => array(
'className' => 'EventGuest',
'foreignKey' => 'promoter_id'
)
);
}
Now, your relationship model.
class EventGuest extends AppModel {
$belongsTo = array(
'Event' => array(
'className' => 'Event',
'foreignKey' => 'event_id'
),
'Guest' => array(
'className' => 'Guest',
'foreignKey' => 'guest_id'
),
'Promoter' => array(
'className' => 'Promoter',
'foreignKey' => 'promoter_id'
)
);
}
And continue use your code.
public function addGuest($event_id, $promoter_id = null) {
if ($this->request->is('post')) {
$this->Guest->create();
$event_data = array('event_id' => $event_id);
$data = $this->request->data;
$data['Event'] = $event_data;
if($promoter_id) {
// EDITED
$data['Promoter']['promoter_id'] = $promoter_id;
}
if ($this->Guest->saveAssociated($data)) {
$this->Session->setFlash(__('The guest has been added to the guestlist'), 'flash/success');
} else {
$this->Session->setFlash(__('The guest could not be saved. Please, try again.'), 'flash/error');
}
}
}