Save data to join table in CakePHP 3

Question

I'm trying to save additional data to join table in CakePHP 3. Association looks like: articles => model_tags <=> tags (tables).

In TagsTable and Articles Table I've got:

$this->belongsToMany('Tags', [
        'joinTable' => 'model_tags',
        'foreignKey' => 'foreign_id'
    ]);

Associations between articles and tags are saved correctly in model_tags table. But I would like to save additional data to field 'model_name' in model_tags table, because in the future I would like to use model_tags table to another models. So in that case, all tags associations saved in model_tags through articles should have in field 'model_name' string "articles".

The main point is - where should I put my code? I'm fighting with this problem since few hours. I think that beforeSave should be the best option.

Already I figured out, that I can put data in separate record:

$tag = $this->Tags->findByTitle('heregoestagtitle')->first();
$tag->_joinData = $this->ModelTags->newEntity();
$tag->_joinData->model_name = 'articles';
$this->Tags->link($entity, [$tag]);

But of course in my case it won't work, because I will save few tags per article, so there will be also few association records in model_tags table.

How can I put data in join table in correct way?

tarikul05 tarikul05 · Accepted Answer · 2016-11-01T17:49:08

You need to just format the data array before call the save method in controller like

foreach ($this->request->data['model_tags'] as $key => $value) {       
    $this->request->data['model_tags'][$key]['_joinData']['model_name '] = 'articles';
}

Hope it will help you

Save data to join table in CakePHP 3

1 Answers