How to preset data on forms 'HiddenType::class' field with relational data? - forms

Question

I just want to preset hidden "fkCar" field with Car object with the id matching the one in the url pattern. So that when a user clicks on a link next to a car entry, he can directly add history to that car, without the need to select that car id from a drop down list. I can preset data on the dropdown list but whenever I try to use HiddenType in my FormType I get this error message:
"Expected argument of type "AdminBundle\Entity\Car", "string" given"
From what I have noticed it's like that because the instance of the Car Object is converted by __toString() magic method which returns "string" and not Car object anymore. On the other hand, the same thing happens on the dropdown choice field but no error are thrown and it works fine...
When I use ->add('fkCar') in my FormType instead, it works fine but I have a dropdown list which I don't want
when I use HiddenType like so:
->add('fkCar',HiddenType::class, [
// ...
])
I get quoted error message.
This is my code:
My FormType
<?php
namespace AdminBundle\Form;
use Symfony\Component\Form\AbstractType;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormBuilderInterface;
use Symfony\Component\OptionsResolver\OptionsResolver;
use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\DateType;
use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\HiddenType;
use Symfony\Component\Intl\DateFormatter\IntlDateFormatter;
class CarHistoryCarIdType extends AbstractType
{
/**
* #param FormBuilderInterface $builder
* #param array $options
*/
public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options)
{
$builder
->add('issueDate', DateType::class,[
'format'=> IntlDateFormatter::LONG,
])
->add('invoiceNum')
->add('invoiceTotal')
->add('quoteNum')
->add('mileage')
->add('description')
// ->add('fkCar') // works - but dropdown choice field is there able to be edited
->add('fkCar',HiddenType::class, [ // generate above error message
// ...
])
;
}
/**
* #param OptionsResolver $resolver
*/
public function configureOptions(OptionsResolver $resolver)
{
$resolver->setDefaults(array(
'data_class' => 'AdminBundle\Entity\CarHistory'
));
}
}
My controller action:
use AdminBundle\Form\CarHistoryCarIdType;
use AdminBundle\Entity\Car;
use AdminBundle\Entity\CarHistory;
...
/**
* Creates a new History for selected car.
*
* #Route("/new/history/{carId}", name="car_new_history")
* #Method({"GET", "POST"})
*/
public function newHistoryAction(Request $request, $carId)
{
// get car data
$car = $this->getDoctrine()->getRepository(Car::class)->find($carId);
dump($car); // test
dump(get_class($car)); // test
// create History Entity Object
$history = new CarHistory();
// set History Entity fkCar to Car Entity Object with id == $carId
$history->setFkCar($car);
$history->setIssueDate(new \DateTime('now'));
// build form and set data
$form = $this->createForm(CarHistoryCarIdType::class, $history);
dump($request->request->all()); // test
$form->handleRequest($request);
if ($form->isSubmitted() && $form->isValid()) {
$em = $this->getDoctrine()->getManager();
$em->persist($history);
$em->flush();
return $this->redirectToRoute('full_car_history', array('id' => $carId));
}
return $this->render('car/newCarHistory.html.twig', array(
'carId' => $carId,
'form' => $form->createView(),
));
}
This is my dump test result. As you can see, the doctrine returns the car object as expected but form 'fkCar' stays empty:

Answer 1

the problem is the hidden type in the form won't allow edit the data inside this. you must change the type and in the view you must hide the field using css. usually I do this:
<div style="display:none">{{form_widget(form.fkCar)}}</div>
change the type in your form class and use the default text type