Symfony 4 multiple entities in single form

Question

Been trying for hours and hours to get my multi entity form to work, but it really breaks my head and none of the examples I've found work.

I checked the Collection form type documentation and form collections, as well as the Entity form type.

I have a User entity, UserRole entity and a Role entity. UserRole contains a userID and a roleID. Just a linking table.

The form shows fields to create a User and I want to be able to as well select a new Role for the new user. So I've tried to use the EntityType, a select dropdown shows with all the roles nicely (only if i add the option mapped => false), but doesn't process after form submit. It's data is not in the $form->getData(), the user gets created, the user_role entry never created. If I try it without the mapped => false it throws me:

Could not determine access type for property "user_roles" in class "App\Entity\User": The property "user_roles" in class "App\Entity\User" can be defined with the methods "addUserRole()", "removeUserRole()" but the new value must be an array or an instance of \Traversable, "App\Entity\Role" given..

Code:

$form = $this->createFormBuilder(new User)
    ... //other add entries
    ->add('user_roles', EntityType::class, array(
        'label' => 'Group (role)',
        'class' => Role::class,
        'choice_label' => 'name',
        // 'mapped' => false, // Form works when false, but doesn't save/create UserRole entry
    ))
->getForm();

$form->handleRequest($request);

Using the CollectionType it's not showing a select dropdown at all. Code:

$form = $this->createFormBuilder($user)
    .... //other add entries
    ->add('user_roles', CollectionType::class, array(
        'entry_type' => ChoiceType::class,
        'entry_options' => array(
            'choices' => $roleChoices,
        ),
    ))
->getForm();

$form->handleRequest($request);

Am I missing something in my Controller's code or do I misunderstand the use of the Form types? I really have no clue what I'm doing wrong.

User Entity:

<?php

namespace App\Entity;

use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping as ORM;
use Symfony\Component\Security\Core\User\UserInterface;
use Doctrine\Common\Collections\ArrayCollection;
use Doctrine\Common\Collections\Collection;
use JMS\Serializer\Annotation\Exclude;

/**
 * @ORM\Entity(repositoryClass="App\Repository\UserRepository")
 * @ORM\HasLifecycleCallbacks()
 */
class User implements UserInterface
{
    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="string", length=255, nullable=true)
     * @Exclude
     */
    private $apiToken;

    /**
     * @ORM\Id()
     * @ORM\GeneratedValue()
     * @ORM\Column(type="integer")
     */
    private $id;

    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="string", length=180, unique=true)
     */
    private $email;

    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="json_array")
     */
    private $roles = [];

    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="string", length=255)
     */
    private $first_name;

    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="string", length=255, nullable=true)
     */
    private $middle_name;

    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="string", length=255)
     */
    private $last_name;

    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="boolean")
     */
    private $enabled;

    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="datetime", nullable=true)
     */
    private $blocked_at;

    /**
     * @ORM\OneToMany(targetEntity="App\Entity\Project", mappedBy="created_by")
     */
    private $projects;

    /**
     * @ORM\OneToMany(targetEntity="App\Entity\UserRole", mappedBy="user", fetch="EAGER")
     */
    private $user_roles;

    /**
     * @ORM\OneToMany(targetEntity="App\Entity\Category", mappedBy="created_by")
     */
    private $categories;

    /**
     * @ORM\OneToMany(targetEntity="App\Entity\ProjectFileIos", mappedBy="created_by")
     */
    private $projectFileIos;

    /**
     * @ORM\OneToMany(targetEntity="App\Entity\ProjectFileAndroid", mappedBy="created_by")
     */
    private $projectFileAndroid;

    /**
     * Generate full name
     */
    private $full_name;

    /**
     * @var string The hashed password
     * @ORM\Column(type="string")
     * @Exclude
     */
    private $password;

    /**
     * @ORM\OneToMany(targetEntity="App\Entity\ProjectUser", mappedBy="user", fetch="EAGER")
     */
    private $projectUsers;

    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="datetime")
     */
    private $created_at;

    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="datetime")
     */
    private $updated_at;

    /**
     * @ORM\ManyToOne(targetEntity="App\Entity\User", inversedBy="project")
     */
    private $created_by;

    /**
     * @ORM\ManyToOne(targetEntity="App\Entity\User", inversedBy="project")
     * @ORM\JoinColumn(nullable=true)
     */
    private $last_updated_by;

    public function __construct()
    {
        $this->user_roles = new ArrayCollection();
        $this->user_role = new ArrayCollection();
        $this->categories = new ArrayCollection();
        $this->projectFileIos = new ArrayCollection();
        $this->projectFileAndroid = new ArrayCollection();
        $this->projectUsers = new ArrayCollection();
    }

    public function getId(): ?int
    {
        return $this->id;
    }

    public function getApiToken(): ?string
    {
        return $this->apiToken;
    }

    public function setApiToken(string $apiToken): self
    {
        $this->apiToken = $apiToken;

        return $this;
    }

    public function getEmail(): ?string
    {
        return $this->email;
    }

    public function setEmail(string $email): self
    {
        $this->email = $email;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * A visual identifier that represents this user.
     *
     * @see UserInterface
     */
    public function getUsername(): string
    {
        return (string) $this->email;
    }

    /**
     * @see UserInterface
     */
    public function getRoles(): array
    {
        $roles = $this->roles;
        // guarantee every user at least has ROLE_USER
        $roles[] = 'ROLE_USER';

        return array_unique($roles);
    }

    public function setRoles(array $roles): self
    {
        $this->roles = $roles;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * @see UserInterface
     */
    public function getPassword(): string
    {
        return (string) $this->password;
    }

    public function setPassword(string $password): self
    {
        $this->password = $password;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * @see UserInterface
     */
    public function getSalt()
    {
        // not needed when using the "bcrypt" algorithm in security.yaml
    }

    /**
     * @see UserInterface
     */
    public function eraseCredentials()
    {
        // If you store any temporary, sensitive data on the user, clear it here
        // $this->plainPassword = null;
    }

    public function getFirstName(): ?string
    {
        return $this->first_name;
    }

    public function setFirstName(string $first_name): self
    {
        $this->first_name = $first_name;

        return $this;
    }

    public function getMiddleName(): ?string
    {
        return $this->middle_name;
    }

    public function setMiddleName(string $middle_name): self
    {
        $this->middle_name = $middle_name;

        return $this;
    }

    public function getLastName(): ?string
    {
        return $this->last_name;
    }

    public function setLastName(string $last_name): self
    {
        $this->last_name = $last_name;

        return $this;
    }

    public function getEnabled(): ?bool
    {
        return $this->enabled;
    }

    public function setEnabled(bool $enabled): self
    {
        $this->enabled = $enabled;

        return $this;
    }

    public function getBlockedAt(): ?\DateTimeInterface
    {
        return $this->blocked_at;
    }

    public function setBlockedAt(?\DateTimeInterface $blocked_at): self
    {
        $this->blocked_at = $blocked_at;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * @return Collection|UserRole[]
     */
    public function getUserRoles(): ?Collection
    {
        return $this->user_roles;
    }
    public function getUserRole(): ?Collection
    {
        return $this->user_role;
    }

    public function addUserRole(UserRole $userRole): self
    {
        if (!$this->user_role->contains($userRole)) {
            $this->user_role[] = $userRole;
            $user_role->setUserId($this);
        }

        return $this;
    }

    public function removeUserRole(UserRole $userRole): self
    {
        if ($this->user_role->contains($userRole)) {
            $this->user_role->removeElement($userRole);
            // set the owning side to null (unless already changed)
            if ($user_role->getUserId() === $this) {
                $user_role->setUserId(null);
            }
        }

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * @return Collection|Project[]
     */
    public function getProjects(): Collection
    {
        return $this->projects;
    }

    public function addProject(Project $project): self
    {
        if (!$this->project->contains($project)) {
            $this->project[] = $project;
            $project->setUserId($this);
        }

        return $this;
    }

    public function removeProject(Project $project): self
    {
        if ($this->project->contains($project)) {
            $this->project->removeElement($project);
            // set the owning side to null (unless already changed)
            if ($project->getUserId() === $this) {
                $project->setUserId(null);
            }
        }

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * @return Collection|Category[]
     */
    public function getCategories(): Collection
    {
        return $this->categories;
    }

    public function addCategory(Category $category): self
    {
        if (!$this->categories->contains($category)) {
            $this->categories[] = $category;
            $category->setCreatedBy($this);
        }

        return $this;
    }

    public function removeCategory(Category $category): self
    {
        if ($this->categories->contains($category)) {
            $this->categories->removeElement($category);
            // set the owning side to null (unless already changed)
            if ($category->getCreatedBy() === $this) {
                $category->setCreatedBy(null);
            }
        }

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * @return Collection|ProjectFileIos[]
     */
    public function getProjectFileIos(): Collection
    {
        return $this->projectFileIos;
    }

    public function addProjectFileIo(ProjectFileIos $projectFileIo): self
    {
        if (!$this->projectFileIos->contains($projectFileIo)) {
            $this->projectFileIos[] = $projectFileIo;
            $projectFileIo->setCreatedBy($this);
        }

        return $this;
    }

    public function removeProjectFileIo(ProjectFileIos $projectFileIo): self
    {
        if ($this->projectFileIos->contains($projectFileIo)) {
            $this->projectFileIos->removeElement($projectFileIo);
            // set the owning side to null (unless already changed)
            if ($projectFileIo->getCreatedBy() === $this) {
                $projectFileIo->setCreatedBy(null);
            }
        }

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * @return Collection|ProjectFileAndroid[]
     */
    public function getProjectFileAndroid(): Collection
    {
        return $this->projectFileAndroid;
    }

    public function addProjectFileAndroid(ProjectFileAndroid $projectFileAndroid): self
    {
        if (!$this->projectFileAndroid->contains($projectFileAndroid)) {
            $this->projectFileAndroid[] = $projectFileAndroid;
            $projectFileAndroid->setCreatedBy($this);
        }

        return $this;
    }

    public function removeProjectFileAndroid(ProjectFileAndroid $projectFileAndroid): self
    {
        if ($this->projectFileAndroid->contains($projectFileAndroid)) {
            $this->projectFileAndroid->removeElement($projectFileAndroid);
            // set the owning side to null (unless already changed)
            if ($projectFileAndroid->getCreatedBy() === $this) {
                $projectFileAndroid->setCreatedBy(null);
            }
        }

        return $this;
    }

    public function getFullName()
    {
        $lastName = $this->middle_name ? $this->middle_name . ' ' : '';
        $lastName .= $this->last_name;
        return $this->first_name . ' ' . $lastName;
    }

    /**
     * Triggered after entity has been loaded into the current EntityManager from de database
     * or after refresh operation applied to it
     * @ORM\PostLoad
     */
    public function postLoad()
    {
        $this->full_name = $this->getFullName();
    }

    /**
     * @return Collection|ProjectUser[]
     */
    public function getProjectUsers(): Collection
    {
        return $this->projectUsers;
    }

    public function addProjectUser(ProjectUser $projectUser): self
    {
        if (!$this->projectUsers->contains($projectUser)) {
            $this->projectUsers[] = $projectUser;
            $projectUser->setUser($this);
        }

        return $this;
    }

    public function removeProjectUser(ProjectUser $projectUser): self
    {
        if ($this->projectUsers->contains($projectUser)) {
            $this->projectUsers->removeElement($projectUser);
            // set the owning side to null (unless already changed)
            if ($projectUser->getUser() === $this) {
                $projectUser->setUser(null);
            }
        }

        return $this;
    }

    public function getCreatedAt(): ?\DateTimeInterface
    {
        return $this->created_at;
    }

    public function setCreatedAt(\DateTimeInterface $created_at): self
    {
        $this->created_at = $created_at;

        return $this;
    }

    public function getUpdatedAt(): ?\DateTimeInterface
    {
        return $this->updated_at;
    }

    public function setUpdatedAt(\DateTimeInterface $updated_at): self
    {
        $this->updated_at = $updated_at;

        return $this;
    }

    public function getCreatedBy(): ?User
    {
        return $this->created_by;
    }

    public function setCreatedBy(?User $created_by): self
    {
        $this->created_by = $created_by;

        return $this;
    }

    public function getLastUpdatedBy(): ?User
    {
        return $this->last_updated_by;
    }

    public function setLastUpdatedBy(?User $last_updated_by): self
    {
        $this->last_updated_by = $last_updated_by;

        return $this;
    }


    /**
     * Triggered on insert
     * @ORM\PrePersist
     */
    public function onPrePersist()
    {
        $this->enabled = true;
        $this->created_at = new \DateTime("now");
        $this->updated_at = new \DateTime();
        $this->roles = 'a:1:{i:0;s:9:"ROLE_USER";}';
    }

    /**
     * Triggered on update
     * @ORM\PreUpdate
     */
    public function onPreUpdate()
    {
        $this->updated_at = new \DateTime("now");
    }
}

Answer 1

In Symfony, to get non-mapped form data, try doing like this.

$data = $form->getData();    
$roles = $form->get("user_roles")->getData();

Also, noted one thing. Shouldn't the class be UserRole::class instead of Role::class, in the code block below.

$form = $this->createFormBuilder(new User)
... //other add entries
->add('user_roles', EntityType::class, array(
    'label' => 'Group (role)',
    'class' => Role::class,
    'choice_label' => 'name',
    // 'mapped' => false, // Form works when false, but doesn't save/create UserRole entry
))
->getForm();

Hope this helps, Cheers..

Answer 2

The general way you have chosen is okay. Stick with the EntityType and remove the mapped = false, this would tell Symfony to ignore the field.

I guess the problem is: you have a mixture of $this->user_role and $this->user_roles in your class, probably a renamed variable. Clean this up first in __construct(), addUserRole(), removeUserRole(), getUserRoles(), getUserRole().

Then add a method

public function setUserRoles($userRoles)
{
    $this->user_roles = new ArrayCollection();

    foreach ($userRoles as $role) {
        $this->addUserRole($role);
    }

    return $this;
}