Missing virtual fields and getters on associated entities

[kyleweishaupt]

After upgrading my Cake 3.1.x project to 3.2.x, I can no longer get values besides (null) for virtual properties made through getter functions on my find() associated entities.

Here is a simple example of my problem using my Patients model finding their Client association.

Controller code:

    /**
     * Index method
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function index()
    {   
        $this->paginate['contain'] = [
            'Clients'
        ];
        $patients = $this->Patients->find('all');

        $this->set('patients', $this->paginate($patients));
        $this->set('_serialize', ['patients']); 
    }

Here is the virtual property I have set in my Client entity:

    /**
     * Exposed virtual fields
     *
     * @var array
     */
    protected $_virtual = [
        'ListIdName'
    ];   

    protected function _getListIdName()
    {
        return $this->_properties['OrganizationName'] . ' [' . $this->_properties['ClientId'] . ']';
    } 

This is returning (null) for $patient->client->listIdName which I can't seem to figure out.

I have tried changing the getter functions to public scope, which does not help. I've also tried using the paginate() method after adding the contain() to the original query as opposed to in $this->paginate[]. The result keeps coming back null.

Here is the relevant output of pr($patients->first()) on my query before pagination:

App\Model\Entity\Patient Object
(
    [PatientId] => 1
    [ClientId] => 2
    [FirstName] => First
    [LastName] => Last
    [client] => App\Model\Entity\Client Object
        (
            [ClientId] => 2
            [OrganizationName] => Some Client
            [[new]] => 
            [[accessible]] => Array
                (
                    [*] => 1
                )

            [[dirty]] => Array
                (
                )

            [[original]] => Array
                (
                )

            [[virtual]] => Array
                (
                    [0] => ListIdName
                )

            [[errors]] => Array
                (
                )

            [[invalid]] => Array
                (
                )

            [[repository]] => Clients
        )

    [[new]] => 
    [[accessible]] => Array
        (
            [*] => 1
        )

    [[dirty]] => Array
        (
        )

    [[original]] => Array
        (
        )

    [[virtual]] => Array
        (
            [0] => FullName
            [1] => ListName
            [2] => ListIdName
        )

    [[errors]] => Array
        (
        )

    [[invalid]] => Array
        (
        )

    [[repository]] => Patients
)

As you can see, the virtual fields are not there. These worked in CakePHP 3.1.10 but are not working in 3.2.1 or 3.2.2 that was just released.

I didn't see anything in the changelog about this functionality changing so I'm hoping this is just a bug and not something I'm doing wrong. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[dakota]

Ok, looks like what happened is that 6c5c6cb started caching the accessor methods. However, it builds the cache using the underscored property names (Since that is the cakephp convention), using $entity->list_id_name will work in the mean time.

[markstory]

I can take a look.

[markstory]

Pull request open now.

[kyleweishaupt]

Still having this issue as of 3.2.3 with the same code. The schema I'm forced to use isn't camel cased, but title cased. i.e. ClientId, PatientId, FirstName, etc... I'm sorry I had it listed as listIdName, camel cased, earlier.

I'm looking to output using the same format ($patient->client->ListIdName) but I'll change things over to @dakota's solution for now. Thanks!

[holisticnetworking]

I'm working on 3.3.8 and having a similar issue. Not sure when it started becoming a problem, but virtual fields. Any virtual fields, actually. Associated Models or not.

[markstory]

@holisticnetworking So no virtual fields are working?

[holisticnetworking]

Yes, sorry. I should have been more specific.

Here is one virtual field declaration for a Model called "Client"

protected function _getFullName() {
        return trim( $this->_properties['first_name'] ) . '  ' .
            trim( $this->_properties['last_name'] );
    }

However, when I access a page - either for this Model or one of it's associated Models - the field does not show up. For example, this json string:

{
    "clients": [
        {
            "id": 1,
            "first_name": "Adriano",
            "last_name": "Manocchia",
            "institution_id": 2,
            "department_id": 2,
            "pi_id": 788,
            "dept": "",
            "email": "am33@cornell.edu",
            "address": "Cornell University\r\n154 Biotech Building\r\nIthaca, NY 14853",
            "billaddress": "",
            "street1": "463 Troy Road",
            "street2": "",
            "city": "Ithaca",
            "state": "NY",
            "zip": "14850",
            "country": "United States",
            "sstreet1": "Cornell University",
            "sstreet2": "143 Biotechnology Building",
            "scity": "Ithaca",
            "sstate": "NY",
            "szip": "14853",
            "scountry": "United States",
            "phone": "607 255-0366",
            "billphone": "607 277-5952",
            "fax": "",
            "seqresname": "Manocchia_Adriano",
            "verified": true,
            "su": 0,
            "updatedinfo": true,
            "training": "1",
            "failedlogins": 0,
            "lastlogin": "2016-08-24T16:26:46-05:00",
            "slims": true,
            "emailverified": true,
            "imaging_hazards": "None",
            "imaging_project": "Stuff",
            "imaging_position": "Staff",
            "staff_comments": "Testing",
            "imaging_survey": true,
            "created": null,
            "modified": null
        },

And so on. I can't seem to backtrack it - I've been working in areas for which virtual fields are not needed for a few weeks. But disabling any but the default plugins does not seem to resolve the issue, either.

The Clients query above includes no special custom queries or other razmatazz.

[markstory]

Ok. Is full_name in your Entity's _virtual property list? It should look something like

protected $_virtual = ['full_name'];

[holisticnetworking]

Ok.. Is this a new requirement? Because I swear they were working a few months ago without a $_virtual definition? Probably not.

Either way, thanks for the help @markstory and sorry about the issue report!

[inoas]

If it is a requirement could you add it here @holisticnetworking http://book.cakephp.org/3.0/en/orm/entities.html#creating-virtual-fields
Edit: Sorry, it is already there: http://book.cakephp.org/3.0/en/orm/entities.html#exposing-virtual-properties
E.g. you might be able to access it like $clientEntity->yourVirtualField or $clientEntity->get('yourVirtualField')

[markstory]

VirtualFields have always required to be listed in the $_virtual property if you want them to be in array conversions.

[holisticnetworking]

In array conversions? So, not in objects created by the query builder?
Because if that's the case, it may be a distinction too subtle for most?
I've never seem or documented, for example, under Virtual Fields in the
cookbook?

On Tue, Nov 22, 2016, 2:55 PM Mark Story notifications@github.com wrote:

VirtualFields have always required to be listed in the $_virtual property
if you want them to be in array conversions.

—
You are receiving this because you were mentioned.
Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub
#8246 (comment),
or mute the thread
https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABGFsKR-vYYUto8yMyQWFqXL2VlpUJPiks5rA0iOgaJpZM4HZFET
.

[markstory]

Sorry, I was unclear. By 'Array Conversions' I meant in the results of $entity->toArray() or json_encode($entity).

I'll update the documentation as you're right that requirement is not clear.

[markstory]

I found the existing section in the documentation. What would make this section easier to find? Perhaps a link in the Virtual Fields section?

[holisticnetworking]

I think that simply adding a highlighted callout here, like you do for other docs (class="admonition note") that says "Note: special rules apply for array and JSON conversions" with a jump link to the relevant text below is sufficient.

May I ask why this distinction exists? To me, unless you specifically protect a field with $_hidden, the data is what the data is. Regardless of what's done with it?

[markstory]

@holisticnetworking Knowing all the virtual properties on an entity would require non-free reflection if we didn't have the explicit list, as virtual fields aren't defined anywhere other than by implementing methods via a naming convention.

[holisticnetworking]

Thanks for the explanation.