Entity::toArray() only converts Entity objects to array, not other objects

[waltervos]

I ran into this issue as I was trying to convert a query result to a collection (new Collection($result->toArray())) and then trying to Collection::extract(). When I follow that with a Collection::toList() or Collection::toArray() call, I get the following error:

Cannot use object of type Cake\I18n\Time as array in (..)/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Collection/ExtractTrait.php on line 84

As far as I can see, this is because of Cake\I18n\Time objects present in the collection. These don't get converted to an array in Entity::toArray().

I hope this is just my failure to grasp the workings of collections fully ;), but otherwise I think we should make sure that other objects get converted to array values as well.

[lorenzo]

Yes, this is is the expected behavior, specially since there is a vast amount of objects that cannot be converted to arrays in a sane way. What where you trying to do?

[waltervos]

I was trying to use extract from a result set. From some associated tables, actually. Something like:

$result = $this->Model->find()->where()->contain(['OtherModel.OtherOtherModel'])->first();
$collection = new Collection($result->toArray());
$extracted = $collection->extract('other_model.{*}.other_other_model.{*}.field');

There are timestamp fields in all of these tables, and those seem to be causing the problem.

Update: I wasn't sure if I could use the {_} twice, so I tried to extract from other_model.{_}.field, which gave the same error.

Edit: I just saw your reply, sure I'll get back to you,

[lorenzo]

Could you use a real example and the data you used? I'm failing to see the problem here.

[waltervos]

This is my actual code:

$user = $this->Users->find()->where()->contain(['PinterestAccounts.PinterestBoards'])->first();
$user_collection = new Collection($user->toArray());
$hashtags = $user_collection->extract('pinterest_accounts.{*}.pinterest_boards.{*}.hashtag');
debug($hashtags->toList());

Here is the SQL: [link removed]

[mylux]

I have not tried to reproduce this issue, but thinking in a situation in which:

$hashtags = $user_collection->extract('pinterest_accounts.{_}.pinterest_boards.{_}.hashtag');

Will return a Collection of datetime objects, then toList method must not convert Time objects into array, but generate an array of Time objects, no?

[waltervos]

@mylux I'm not entirely sure what Time objects have to do with it, since there is no time object in the hashtag field. But even when I tried something simpler, like extract('username'), I get the same error.

[lorenzo]

@waltervos I think the problem is that you are passing the collection an array that is actually a dictionary, not an iterable array. Can you try this?

$user_collection = new Collection([$user->toArray()]);

[mylux]

Good point, @lorenzo !

[waltervos]

Huh, that does it, thanks!

Edit: Really, thanks a lot 💯

[lorenzo]

@waltervos alternatively you can do this:

$hashtags = collection($user-> pinterest_accounts)->extract('pinterest_boards.{*}.hashtag');