cakephp: How to save hasmany chain by saveAssociated - cakephp

Question

Basically, there are 3 models:
Class Model1 {
Public $hasMany = array {
'Model2' => array(
'className' => 'Model2',
'foreignKey' => 'model1id'
)
};
}
Class Model2 {
Public $belongsTo = array {
'Model1' => array(
'className' => 'Model1',
'foreignKey' => 'model1id'
)
};
Public $hasMany = array {
'Model3' => array(
'className' => 'Model3',
'foreignKey' => 'model2id'
)
};
}
Class Model3 {
Public $belongsTo = array {
'Model2' => array(
'className' => 'Model2',
'foreignKey' => 'model2id'
)
};
}
In ctp file under Model1s view folder, I have code as below:
echo $this->Form->create('Model1');
echo $this->Form->input('[some_model1_field]');
echo $this->Form->input('Model2.0.[some_field]');
echo $this->Form->input('Model3.0.[some_field]');
echo $this->Form->end('Save');
In Controller, having a function like below:
$this->Model1->saveAssociated($this->request->data, array('deep' => true));
The result is the all fields are inserted into db, including the foreignkey model1id saved into model2 table automatically by framework. The only issue is that the model2id cannot saved into model3 table automatically by framework. How to deal with it?

Answer 1

Model1 is not associated with Model3, your input field names and the resulting request data however are representing such an association. Debug the request data and compare it to what the docs are showing
http://book.cakephp.org/2.0/en/models/saving-your-data.html#model-saveassociated-array-data-null-array-options-array
The problem with the structure should be obvious, it's going to be something like
[
// ...
'Model2' => [
[/* ... */]
]
'Model3' => [
[/* ... */]
]
]
If you'd wanted to save Model3s for Model2, then you'd have to properly nest the data like
echo $this->Form->input('Model2.0.Model3.0.[some_field]');
which should result in something like
[
// ...
'Model2' => [
// ...
'Model3' => [
[/* ... */]
]
]
]