CakePHP multilevel models

Question

I've been trying to figure out how to save multi-level models in CakePHP for some time now, but can't seem to find a solution.

I have three models. Survey, Question, and Choice.

• Survey hasMany Question - so Question belongsTo Survey

• Question hasMany Choice - so Choice belongsTo Question

  • The Question is linked to the Survey through its survey_id key.

  • The Choice, on the otherhand, is linked to the Question through its question_id key. (not directly linked to Survey though)

The form is created through $this->Form->create('Survey').

I want the application to save a survey with its corresponding questions, AND each question having their corresponding choice(s).

The problem is, only the Survey and Question models are saved. Choice gets discarded.

I'm using $this->saveAssociated($this->request->data, array( 'deep' => true) )

I will be updating my post to show the $_POST data.

Thanks,

XTN

Answer 1

Before saving data, you have to ensure that data should be in this format

in your controller:

$data = array('Survey' => array('id' => 1,'name' => 'test'),
                  'Question' => array(
                                    array('id' => 1,'question' => 'test1','survey_id' => 1,
                                        'Choice' => array(
                                            array('id' => 1,'question_id' => 1,'choice' => 1),
                                            array('id' => 2,'question_id' => 1,'choice' => 2)
                                            )

                                    ),
                                    array('id' => 2,'question' => 'question2','survey_id' => 1,
                                    'Choice' => array(
                                        array('id' => 3,'question_id' => 2,'choice' => 'sd'),
                                        array('id' => 4,'question_id' => 2,'choice' => 'we')
                                        )
                                    )
                                )
                 );
        $this->Survey->create();
        $this->Survey->saveAssociated($data,array('deep'=>true)); 

Survey Model :

public $hasMany = array(
    'Question' => array(
        'className' => 'Question',
        'foreignKey' => 'survey_id',
        'dependent' => false,
    )
         );

Question Model :

public $belongsTo = array(
    'Survey' => array(
        'className' => 'Survey',
        'foreignKey' => 'survey_id',
    )
);
public $hasMany = array(
    'Choice' => array(
        'className' => 'Choice',
        'foreignKey' => 'question_id',
        'dependent' => false,
    )
);

Choice Model :

public $belongsTo = array(
    'Question' => array(
        'className' => 'Question',
        'foreignKey' => 'question_id',
    )
);

I think it will work if found any problem please notify

Answer 2

Your models should looks like:

Survey Model: Survey.php

class Survey extends AppModel {   
    public  $name = 'Survey';   
    public $hasMany = array('Questions' => array(
                                          'className' => 'Question',
                                          'foreignKey' => 'survey_id'
                                                )
                           );
}

Question Model: Question.php

class Question extends AppModel{   
public $name = 'Question';   
public $belongsTo = array(
                        'Survey' => array('className' => 'Survey', 'foreignKey' => 'survey_id'),
                        'Answer' => array('className' => 'Choice', 'foreignKey' => 'answer_id'));
public $hasMany = array('Choices' => array('className' =>  'Choice', 
                                           'foreignKey' => 'question_id'));
}

Choice Model: Choice.php

class Choice extends AppModel
{
public $name = 'Choice';   
public $belongsTo = array('Question' => array('className' => 'Question', 
                                              'foreignKey' => 'question_id'));   
}

Kindly ask if it not worked for you.