How to reduce form code duplication in CakePHP - cakephp

Question

I have a form in CakePHP with a few dozen fields in it. From all the examples I have seen, there is duplicate form code for an add view and an edit view.
Is there any tricks to keep the duplication out? What is best method in CakePHP for this?

Answer 1

What I do, is to put all form fields in an element, and then insert the element in the add.ctp and edit.ctp
Don't forget to add the hidden field with the id in the edit.ctp
This way all visible elements are in one file, easier to maintain.
View/MyModel/add.ctp
echo $this->Form->create('MyModel');
echo $this->element('my_form');
echo $this->Form->end();
View/MyModel/edit.ctp
echo $this->Form->create('MyModel');
echo $this->Form->input('id');
echo $this->element('my_form');
echo $this->Form->end();
View/Elements/my_form.ctp
// your form inputs
// whatever they are

Answer 2

You should NOT merge those views, because add/edit are different actions and deserve separate view files. As your application grows you will realize that its good to have separate views to reduce complexity of if else conditions.
If you still want to avoid the separate files, Use
function add() {
.....
$this->render('edit')
}

Answer 3

I've done this before, but reverted back to having separate views, mainly for my own sanity.
It's easy enough to do. The edit requires an input for the record id. This is usually hidden. Any default form values for the add form will have to be contained in conditionals so that the stored values are not overwritten with defaults when you are editing a record
On the controller side of things, you'll need a conditional statement to decide whether to act as an add or edit depending on whether the $this->data['MyModel']['id'] is set.
I think that covers it - if I think of anything else I'll add it in.
My work pattern tends to be to build the edit view, then copy and paste to create the basis for the add view.

Answer 4

this code will check if you have admin_form.ctp or form.ctp which will make it use the same code for add / edit
https://github.com/infinitas/infinitas/blob/dev/app_controller.php#L389
1.3 submits the forms automatically to where the are from so when you go to /edit/1 it will post to there, and /add will post to add.
that is all you need to do. if you have a edit that is vastly different to the add, then you just create the 2 files. when you want them the same, just make the one.

Answer 5

in your app controller
public function render($view = null, $layout = null) {
$viewPaths = App::path('View', $this->plugin);
$rootPath = $viewPaths[0] . DS . $this->viewPath . DS;
$requested = $rootPath . $view . '.ctp';
if (in_array($this->request->action, array('admin_edit', 'admin_add', 'edit', 'add'))) {
$viewPath = $rootPath . $this->request->action . '.ctp';
if (!file_exists($requested) && !file_exists($viewPath)) {
if (strpos($this->request->action, 'admin_') === false) {
$view = 'form';
} else {
$view = 'admin_form';
}
}
}
return parent::render($view, $layout);
}
and in your view you can always check whether its edit or add
if ($this->request->params['action'] == 'admin_edit') {
//do something
}
if ($this->request->params['action'] == 'admin_add') {
//do something
}

Answer 6

in edit.ctp
if($this->data[ModelName]['id']) {
$this->Form->input('id');
}
// create rest of the fields
in Controller::add()
$this->autoRender=false; // at the start of function
$this->render('edit.ctp'); // at the point where you actually want to render
no need to create add.ctp