Save Related Model Data - php

Question

I am having trouble understanding how to save Related Model Data in Cakephp 1.3. I have a model called Policy and a Model called Declinations. Policy hasMany Declinations. Declinations belongsTo Policy. All I want to do is save the policy_id in the Policy table in a field called policy_id in the Declinations table. So the question is how do I grab the Policy_Id from the corresponding model? Do I need to set the Policy_Id first in the Declination model or controller and then pass it to a hidden field in the view?
Here is my declination model
public $belongsTo = array(
'Policy' => array(
'className' => 'Policy',
'foreignKey' => 'policy_id'
My Policy Model is as follows
public $hasMany = array(
'Declination' => array(
'className' => 'Declination',
'foreignKey' => 'policy_id',
'dependent' => true
)
Here is my controller
public function add($id = null) {
if (!empty($this->data)) {
$this->Declination->create();
if ($this->Declination->saveAll($this->data['Declination'])) {
$this->Session->setFlash(__('Declinations saved.', true));
$this->redirect(array(
'controller' => 'coverages',
'action' => 'view',
$id
));
} else {
$this->Session->setFlash(__('Declinations failed to save.', true));
}
}
$reasons = $this->Declination->Reason->find('list');
$contactTypes = $this->Declination->ContactType->find('list');
$this->set(compact('id', 'reasons', 'contactTypes'));
}
Here is my view
<?php echo $this->UiForm->input("Declination.{$i}.first_name"); ?>
<?php echo $this->UiForm->input("Declination.{$i}.last_name"); ?>
<?php echo $this->UiForm->input("Declination.{$i}.company"); ?>
<?php echo $this->UiForm->input("Declination.{$i}.contact_type_id"); ?>
<?php echo $this->UiForm->input("Declination.{$i}.phone_number"); ?>
<?php echo $this->UiForm->input("Declination.{$i}.reason_id"); ?>
<?php echo $this->UiForm->input("Declination.{$i}.other", array(
'label' => 'If other, please supply a reason'
)); ?>
<?php echo $this->UiForm->input("Declination.{$i}.dated", array(
'type' => 'text',
'readonly' => 'readonly',
'data-datepicker' => ''
)); ?>
Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

Somehow, you must know WHICH Policy id you want to save - so you can either add that as a field in your view:
echo $this->UiForm->input("Declination.{$i}.policy_id", array('value'=>$policyId));
Or you can set it in your Controller before you save:
$this->request->data['Declination']['policy_id'] = $policyId;
Either way will work - use whichever makes more sense for your site.
How and where you GET the policy id is also up to you. You can use a find() in the Controller, then set() it so it's accessible in the view. Or, you can use a find() and retrieve it just before the save. Without knowing what data you have available where, it's hard to give more detail than that.