symfony2 - adding choices from database

Question

I am looking to populate a choice box in symfony2 with values from a custom query. I have tried to simplify as much as possible.

Controller

class PageController extends Controller
{

    public function indexAction()
    {
      $fields = $this->get('fields');
      $countries =  $fields->getCountries(); // returns a array of countries e.g. array('UK', 'France', 'etc')
      $routeSetup = new RouteSetup(); // this is the entity
      $routeSetup->setCountries($countries); // sets the array of countries

      $chooseRouteForm = $this->createForm(new ChooseRouteForm(), $routeSetup);


      return $this->render('ExampleBundle:Page:index.html.twig', array(
        'form' => $chooseRouteForm->createView()
      ));

    }
}

ChooseRouteForm

class ChooseRouteForm extends AbstractType
{

  public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options)
  {

    // errors... ideally I want this to fetch the items from the $routeSetup object 
    $builder->add('countries', 'choice', array(
      'choices' => $this->routeSetup->getCountries()
    ));

  }

  public function getName()
  {
    return 'choose_route';
  }
}

Prof · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-24 13:48:04Z

19

You could pass the choices to your form using..

$chooseRouteForm = $this->createForm(new ChooseRouteForm($routeSetup), $routeSetup);

Then in your form..

private $countries;

public function __construct(RouteSetup $routeSetup)
{
    $this->countries = $routeSetup->getCountries();
}

public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options)
{
    $builder->add('countries', 'choice', array(
        'choices' => $this->countries,
    ));
}

Updated (and improved) for 2.8+

Firstly you don't really need to pass in the countries as part of the route object unless they are going to be stored in the DB.

If storing the available countries in the DB then you can use an event listener. If not (or if you don't want to use a listener) you can add the countries in the options area.

Using Options

In the controller..

$chooseRouteForm = $this->createForm(
    ChooseRouteForm::class,
    // Or the full class name if using < php 5.5
    $routeSetup,
    array('countries' => $fields->getCountries())
);

And in your form..

public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options)
{
    $builder->add('countries', 'choice', array(
        'choices' => $options['countries'],
    ));
}

public function configureOptions(OptionsResolver $resolver)
{
    $resolver
        ->setDefault('countries', null)
        ->setRequired('countries')
        ->setAllowedTypes('countries', array('array'))
    ;
}

Using A Listener (If the countries array is available in the model)

In the controller..

$chooseRouteForm = $this->createForm(
    ChooseRouteForm::class,
    // Or the full class name if using < php 5.5
    $routeSetup
);

And in your form..

public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options)
{
    $builder
        ->addEventListener(FormEvents::PRE_SET_DATA, function(FormEvent $event) {
            $form = $event->getForm();
            /** @var RouteSetup $routeSetup */
            $routeSetup = $event->getData();

            if (null === $routeSetup) {
                throw new \Exception('RouteSetup must be injected into form');
            }

            $form
                ->add('countries', 'choice', array(
                    'choices' => $routeSetup->getCountries(),
                ))
            ;
        })
    ;
}

edited Jan 24, 2016 at 13:48

Prof

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answered Apr 5, 2013 at 15:08

qooplmao

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7 Comments

Prof Over a year ago

So, as of Symfony 2.8, it is deprecated to pass in an instantiated form class. Now you need to pass the fully qualified class name instead. Which takes away from being able to use the constructor... That sucks, because I don't want to have to load the options from the controller as in my case, this choice field is used from MANY controllers and would make sense to construct the choices in the form class, however, how do you get the doctrine manager into the form class without using the options or services...? hack hack hack, unless im missing something, please say so

qooplmao Over a year ago

To be honest this wasn't the best approach even then. I'll update.

Prof Over a year ago

No worries, your post was 2013 and 2.8 is like a few months ago. Thanks for the update... Ill get to playing around with it now

qooplmao Over a year ago

If you actually need help then I would ask a question and I can stick an answer in there rather than adding a confusing response in the comments or in the given answer.

Prof Over a year ago

No thanks, I seem to be getting there now. Appreciate it though, and sorry for digging up the old post :)

|

Loial · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-06 12:28:45Z

11

I can't comment or downvote yet, so I'll just reply to Qoop's answer here: What you proposed will work unless you start using your form type class as a service. You should generally avoid adding data to your form type object through constructor.

Think of form type class like a Class - it's a kind of description of your form. When you make an instance of form (by building it) you get the Object of form that is build by the description in form type and then filled with data.

Take a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAX13g5orwo - this situation is described around 31 minute of the presentaion.

You should use form event FormEvents::PRE_SET_DATA and manipulate fields when the form is injected with data. See: http://symfony.com/doc/current/cookbook/form/dynamic_form_modification.html#customizing-your-form-based-on-the-underlying-data

answered Dec 6, 2013 at 12:28

Loial

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2 Comments

user2019515 Over a year ago

What's the advantage of this? Why not just check if Form Data $routesetup is set? And if not don't add the field / throw a nice error?

qooplmao Over a year ago

This was the best practice approach, I just corrected the code in the question to make it work rather than "improve" it at. I've updated my answer now with the `PRE_SET_DATA approach mentioned and another (due to a new comment, as opposed to me being a crazy that re-reads my answer from 2+ years ago).

Winnipass · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-03 14:00:34Z

0

I got it working by calling getData on the builder

FormBuilderInterface $builder

// Controller

$myCountries = $this->myRepository->all(['continent' => 'Africa']);
$form = $this->createForm(CountriesType::class, $myCountries);

//FormType

use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\ChoiceType;

public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options): void
    {
        $builder
            ->add('pages', ChoiceType::class, [
                'choices' => $builder->getData()
            ])
        ;
    }

answered Nov 3, 2021 at 14:00

Winnipass

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