cakephp - has many through not saving - cakephp

Question

I have the following has many through relationship
Alert AlertsElement Search
id id id
name alert_id link
search_id
ordering
Here are my models
class Alert extends AppModel {
var $name = 'Alert';
var $hasMany = array('AlertsElement');
class AlertsElement extends AppModel {
var $name = 'AlertsElement';
var $belongsTo = array('Alert','Search');
class Search extends AppModel {
var $name = 'Search';
var $hasMany = array('AlertsElement');
Here is my test code I am using to do a save -
$d = array();
$d['Alert']['id'] = 1976;
$d['Search']['id'] = 107;
$d['AlertsElement']['ordering'] = 2;
$this->Alert->create();
$this->Alert->saveAll($d);
I get this error -
Cannot use a scalar value as an array [CORE/cake/libs/model/model.php, line 1696]
and a row entry in alertselement with the order but the foreign keys set to 0
Any ideas ?
Thanks, Alex

Answer 1

In order to save a hasMany relationship with saveAll, the hasMany-associated model data (in this case, $d['AlertsElement']) needs to be an indexed array of associative arrays, thus:
$d = array(
'Alert' => array(
'id' => 1976
),
'AlertsElements' => array(
0 => array(
'ordering' => 2
)
)
);
$this->Alert->saveAll($d);
Note that the associative array, consisting of the 'ordering' key and its value, has been shifted down into an indexed array. This is the required format for saving hasMany-associated data in a single saveAll operation, because this format expands gracefully whether you want to save one or ten associated records.
Refer to the Cake manual on saving related model data for more info.

Answer 2

I got here looking for a solution to this question. Not to contradict Daniel, the book says that when you use a hasMany through relationship (which is what Alex is using), you can save all three records with a single saveAll call, but you do it from the joining table's model like this:
$data = array(
[Student] => Array
(
[first_name] => Joe
[last_name] => Bloggs
)
[Course] => Array
(
[name] => Cake
)
[CourseMembership] => Array
(
[days_attended] => 5
[grade] => A
)
);
$this->CourseMembership->saveAll($data);
Unless I've misread the book, that example should create the Student, Course, and joining CourseMembership records. That said, I have yet to be able to get it to work as documented. I'm passing in an id for the Course as I'm using an existing Course, but it doesn't create the Student or the CourseMembership record.
Any more feedback appreciated.