Sonataadminbundle: sonata_collection unable to add row via modal way

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

Environment

Windows 10 - Chrome 54

Sonata packages

sonata-project/admin-bundle 3.10.0
sonata-project/block-bundle 3.2.0
sonata-project/cache 1.0.7
sonata-project/core-bundle 3.1.1
sonata-project/datagrid-bundle 2.2
sonata-project/doctrine-extensions 1.0.2
sonata-project/doctrine-orm-admin-bundle 3.1.1
sonata-project/easy-extends-bundle 2.1.10
sonata-project/exporter 1.7.0
sonata-project/google-authenticator 1.0.2
sonata-project/user-bundle 3.2.0

Symfony packages

symfony/monolog-bundle 2.12.0
symfony/phpunit-bridge v2.8.14
symfony/polyfill-apcu v1.3
symfony/polyfill-intl-icu v1.3.0
symfony/polyfill-mbstring v1.3.0
symfony/polyfill-php54 v1.3.0
symfony/polyfill-php55 v1.3.0
symfony/polyfill-php56 v1.3.0
symfony/polyfill-php70 v1.3.0
symfony/polyfill-util v1.3.0
symfony/security-acl v2.8.0
symfony/swiftmailer-bundle v2.4.0
symfony/symfony v2.8.14

PHP version

PHP 5.5.12

Subject

In my admin I have a OneToMany defined as it:

/**
 * @ORM\OneToMany(targetEntity="Module", mappedBy="sequence", cascade={"persist", "remove"})
 */
 private $modules;

And the inversed side:

/**
 * @ORM\ManyToOne(targetEntity="ModuleSequence", inversedBy="modules", cascade={"persist"}, fetch="LAZY")
 * @ORM\JoinColumn(name="sequence_id", referencedColumnName="id")
 */
protected $sequence;

In my admin class I defined the 'modules' field as it:

->add('modules', 'sonata_type_collection',array(
       'by_reference' => false
 ))

Finally in the ModuleSequence Entity here's the addModule method:

     /**
     * Add modules
     *
     * @param \AppBundle\Entity\Module $module
     * @return ModuleSequence
     */

    public function addModule(\AppBundle\Entity\Module $module)
    {
        $module->setSequence($this);
        $this->modules[] = $module;

        return $this;
    }

I have the "add" button, I get the modal, I fill it and validate. The Ajax request is sent into the profiler but no new row appear.

The 'sequence_id' is not set in the database and I don't know why...

When I use the 'inline' & 'table' options, the id is well set.

I think there is a bug here.

[greg0ire]

When you use the profiler form to find your ajax request in it, is there anything interesting?

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

The POST request is OK (code 200)
All parameters are in the request body plus _xml_http_request: true param.
But there is no "sequence_id" in the body but it's seem normal as this sequence is not created yet...

So the request seems to be complete and correct.

[greg0ire]

Is addModule called?

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

Hum apparently no, I put some logs in addModule method but nothing is written in logs.

I also get a request to in the profiler that I have not mentioned:

admin/core/get-form-field-element?code=app.admin.module_sequence&elementId=s585446f43dd5b_modules&uniqid=s585446f43dd5b

[greg0ire]

Hum apparently no, I put some logs in addModule method but nothing is written in logs.

What about setModules ?

admin/core/get-form-field-element?code=app.admin.module_sequence&elementId=s585446f43dd5b_modules&uniqid=s585446f43dd5b

What controller does this map to? Can you link to it?

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

setModules is not call too

When I call the URL I get an empty page with:

When I click the link I'm redirected to sonata admin on module/create action

[greg0ire]

What controller does this map to?

What I meant by that is : "what happens when you run router:match with that url?"

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

The controller/action is: sonata.admin.controller.admin:retrieveFormFieldElementAction

[greg0ire]

Can you please link to it on github?

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

https://github.com/sonata-project/SonataAdminBundle/blob/3.x/Controller/HelperController.php#L125

[greg0ire]

Hmmm… this method seems to retrieve a sub form corresponding to just one element of the object being edited. Probably it's the part that corresponds to the collection, hence the "add" button. I don't think this is where your new element should be saved. The POST makes more sense. That's the action you should debug.

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

Yes, the request list is:

GET admin/app/module/create?uniqid=s5854512577170&code=app.admin.module&pcode=app.admin.module_sequence&puniqid=s5854512530df4
=> Get the modal view

_* CLICK on add btn *_

POST admin/app/module/create?uniqid=s5854512577170
=> Create the module without sequence_id

POST admin/core/get-form-field-element?code=app.admin.module_sequence&elementId=s585446f43dd5b_modules&uniqid=s585446f43dd5b
=> probably try to get added row but, as there is no setted id => no new row

[greg0ire]

Create the module without sequence_id

I think you should first fix your model. Can a module really live without a sequence? If not, you should specify the join column as not nullable (there is a JoinColumn annotation I think).

When I use the 'inline' & 'table' options, the id is well set.

How can it be set if the sequence_id does not exist yet? Does all the form data get posted when you do that? That would explain how it would work.

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

Ok, constraint added, you're right.

So I get a NullContraintException with a stacktrace copied here: http://pastebin.com/MEWmD9YJ

I add the 'inline' & 'table' options and now I get the NullContraintException ... maybe I was wrong at the beginning inline editing is no working too :/

[greg0ire]

Ok so how is this supposed to work at all? I mean maybe the modules subform shouldn't even get displayed until the sequence is saved, right?

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

With the modal or inline way I get the form displayed but when I save, I get the exception (not sure to answer to your question...)

[greg0ire]

Sure, but why even display the modules subform when you are on the create action? It only makes sense on the edit action, right? Or mabye the constraint was a bad idea and things are supposed to get linked afterwards? Or maybe both ways work, it depends on what you want most : data integrity or user experience?

[greg0ire]

I have bad memory, but I think I hit that bug myself… and maybe several others. It would be great to make a cookbook article about this if we solve this. Here is a frenchman getting the same problem early may

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

In the app the classic use case is:

A user will create a module_sequence (let say a module is a game) that contains, for exemple, 3 modules.

So, to be more user friendly I tried to allow the user to create the sequence and the modules on the same page... but if you tell that's not possible, I can accept it ;)

[greg0ire]

So, to be more user friendly I tried to allow the user to create the sequence and the modules on the same page... but if you tell that's not possible, I can accept it ;)

Here is the thing, I don't even know, it would be great to dig a bit on the way, find out, and document. Let's gather all related issues.

Here is one : #4111

[greg0ire]

Here is another one : http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21420380/entitys-id-of-parent-is-not-saved-in-a-onetomany-relationship-in-sonataadmin . Can you try the solution described here?

[greg0ire]

Here is another, proposing the same solution : http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21141673/onetomany-relation-entity-does-not-save-id-field

[greg0ire]

They are saying Sonata and Doctrine are saying it is each other's problem…

[greg0ire]

And another one, with the same solution… : https://github.com/sonata-project/SonataDoctrineORMAdminBundle/issues/50

[greg0ire]

And another one : https://github.com/sonata-project/SonataDoctrineORMAdminBundle/issues/371 , linking to this one : https://github.com/sonata-project/SonataAdminBundle/issues/2890 Jesus… how deep does this go?

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

Here is another one : http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21420380/entitys-id-of-parent-is-not-saved-in-a-onetomany-relationship-in-sonataadmin . Can you try the solution described here?

Well this one solved the problem into inline editing mode but not in the modal mode

linking to this one : #2890 Jesus… how deep does this go?

:)

So, I will keep this solution but, I think, we have pointed I real trouble with collection form type that need to be discuss by the Sonata Team ;)

Anyway, that a lot for your help :)

[greg0ire]

Anyway, that a lot for your help :)

If you want to repay me, please make a PR to document this (in the doctrine ORM bundle). @damienalexandre suggested it 4 years ago, but nobody reacted… would you be the awesome guy that breaks the circle?

So, I will keep this solution but, I think, we have pointed I real trouble with collection form type that need to be discuss by the Sonata Team ;)

Yeah… @sonata-project/contributors , thoughts on this?

[greg0ire]

Here is the doc that should be improved IMO

[CyrilleGuimezanes]

Here is the doc that should be improved IMO

Ok, added to my todo list :)

[lalop]

this works for me http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21420380/entitys-id-of-parent-is-not-saved-in-a-onetomany-relationship-in-sonataadmin

[greg0ire]

@CyrilleGuimezanes @lalop , can you please make a docs PR ?

[lalop]

hello @greg0ire, I dig a little be more before editing the doc to understand what happens.
The issue seams coming from the symfony form https://github.com/sonata-project/SonataAdminBundle/blob/3.13.0/Controller/CRUDController.php#L255
When the form populate the new object it doesn't call setChildrend or 'addChild` so you can't give the child the parent id.
I don't know that much symfony's form component to understand if the issue is on symfony, sonata or doctrine.
I continue...

[lalop]

I don't have enought knowledge yet to understand why but this definitively fix the issue.
https://github.com/sonata-project/SonataDoctrineORMAdminBundle/issues/50#issuecomment-5872661

The parent Entity need to have an setChildren method and link each child to it parent and the field need to be define with by_reference false.

I'm ok to update the doc if you want.

[greg0ire]

I'm ok to update the doc if you want.

Please do, I'll help you complete it with an explanation if necessary :)

[lalop]

@greg0ire I think this example is way to complicated https://sonata-project.org/bundles/doctrine-orm-admin/3-x/doc/reference/form_field_definition.html#advanced-usage-one-to-many
It's a mix between one-to-many, many-to-many and entity's inheritage.
Can I rewrite it to only show a one-to-many example ?

[greg0ire]

It's a mix between one-to-many, many-to-many and entity's inheritage.

How so?

Can I rewrite it to only show a one-to-many example ?

I'm all for clearer docs so sure, go ahead!

[lalop]

here it's https://github.com/sonata-project/SonataDoctrineORMAdminBundle/pull/667