Writing custom method to save form data

Question

I am trying to find the preferred way to save form data using joomla API methods. I am trying to save data with an ajax-call. First i tried just calling the components standard save method, calling:

index.php?option=com_whatever&view=wdata&task=save // ...etc

This works, sort of, but I cannot find a way to verify the call actually worked.

Now I'm trying to use the model functions from the new and very nice ajax-plugin in joomla 3.3, but I'm unsure what is the right approach. I can do something like this:

function onAjaxSaveWData(){
    if(!JSession::checkToken()) return 0; // checking the token
    $in=JFactory::getApplication->input; 
    $data=$in->get('jform',array(),'ARRAY'); //this is unfiltered input?!
    JLoader::register('WhateverModelWData', $whatevermodelpath);
    $model = new WhateverModelWData();
    $model->save($data);
}

The only problem with this approach is it's not working. The save function fails with an error:

Call to a member function getKeyName() on a non-object in libraries/legacy/model/admin.php on line 1064

In addition to this not working, it would have not filtered the data before insertion.

I would think $model->validate($model->getForm(), $data) would do the trick, but also $model->getForm() fails miserably, so I'm stuck. Can anyone help me out?

Answer 1

Initially I figured the best would be to use the controller method save(), which I finally got working like this:

$path = JPATH_ADMINISTRATOR . '/components/com_anycomponent;
JLoader::register('AnycomponentControllerAnyController', $path . '/controllers/anycontroller.php');
$controller = AnycomponentControllerAnyController::getInstance('Anycomponent'); 
$controller->addModelPath($path . '/models', 'Anycomponent');  
JTable::addIncludePath($path . '/tables'); 
JForm::addFormPath($path . '/models/forms');
$ret = $controller->save();

So, when calling a controller from outside the component, you need to specify all paths that's needed. This applies when the controller extends JControllerForm, which is now in the legacy folder in joomla, but used throughout the joomla core. For frontend - controllers it might not work so smooth, unless these also extend JControllerForm.

When calling save like this, all necessary checks seems to be done: data-validation, access-checks etc.

I still don't see the best way to get the inserted id from the controller, the save() function simply returns true or false depending on the success of the function call.

It is possible to use the same method as above for calling model -save() (my suggestion in the question above), adding the neccessary paths first. This can be more flexible, however then you need to perform data-validation-checks and access-checks yourself. Calling controller-save() takes care of these issues.

Please feel free to correct/extend this answer if you have more info on the subject.

Edit: If you are using this method to save existing data, you need to add the id-parameter to the url, like:

index.php?option=com_whatever&view=wdata&task=save&id=20 
// where 20 is the id you are editing

If the id is only in a field on the form this will be ignored, and the record added as a new record.