symfony2 create form without entity class

Question

Using Symfony2.3.4.

I'm trying to create a form without using a type, it is actually a very small form, only two selects loading their options from the database, so far it works, what I can not do is to get the form data(in the controller) when it is submitted. I tried to follow the instruction here but I can't get it right.

Here is my code so far:

Controller: function to pass the data to the form:

public function selectAction($id, $id_actpost){
        $em = $this->getDoctrine()->getManager();

        $entity = $em->getRepository('ActPostBundle:Edition')->find($id);
        $students = $em->getRepository('PersonBundle:Students')->findAll();
        $students2 = $em->getRepository('PersonBundle:ForeignStudents')->findAll();

        if (!$entity) {
            throw $this->createNotFoundException('Unable to find Edicion entity.');
        }

        return $this->render('ActPostBundle:Edition:select.html.twig', array(
                    'entity' => $entity,
                    'id_actpost' => $id_actpost,
                    'students' => $students,
                    'foreignstudents' => $students2,
        ));
    }

html fragment regarding the form itself:

    <form class="form-horizontal sf_admin_form_area"
              action="{{ path('edition_update_selected',
           { 'id': entity.id, 'id_actpost': id_actpost }) }}"
              method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
            <div  style="margin-left: 80px" class="row-fluid">
                <div class="span12">
                   <select name="students" multiple="multiple">
                   {% for s in students %}
                     <option {%if s in entity.students%}selected="selected"{%endif%}>
                      {{s}}</option>
                   {%endfor%}
                   </select>
                </div>
            </div>

            <div class="row-fluid">
               <select name="students2" multiple="multiple">
                  {% for s in students2 %}
                     <option {%if s in entity.foreignstudents%}selected="selected"
                       {%endif%}>{{s}}</option>
                  {%endfor%}
               </select>
            </div>
            <div class="form-actions">
                <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">
                    <i class="glyphicon-refresh"></i> {{'Update' | trans}}</button>
                <a class="btn" href="{{ path('edition', {'id_actpost' : id_actpost }) }}">
                    <i class="glyphicon-ban-circle"></i> {{'Cancel' | trans }}
                </a>
            </div>
        </form>

and here is what I read from the link posted at the beginning: function to get the submitted data and update the database, although the database part can stay ignored until I manage to get the data from the form:

public function update_selectedAction(Request $request, $id, $id_actpost) {
        $em = $this->getDoctrine()->getManager();

        $entity = $em->getRepository('ActPostBundle:Edition')->find($id);

        if (!$entity) {
            throw $this->createNotFoundException('Unable to find Edicion entity.');
        }

        $defaultData = array('message' => 'Type here');
        $editForm = $this->createFormBuilder($defaultData)
                ->add('students','choice')
                ->add('students2', 'choice')
                ->getForm();

        $editForm->handleRequest($request);

I would like to know if what I read is actually what I need, because although I think it is I might be wrong, so any insights regarding this matter or even any other way to do it will be really appreciated.

Answer 1

You should use symfony's form builder to build the form in your update_selectedAction() like

public function update_selectedAction(Request $request, $id, $id_actpost)
{
    $em = $this->getDoctrine()->getManager();
    $entity = $em->getRepository('ActPostBundle:Edition')->find($id);
    if (!$entity) {
        throw $this->createNotFoundException('Unable to find Edicion entity.');
    }
    $defaultData = array('message' => 'Type here');
    $form = $this->createFormBuilder($defaultData)
        ->add('students', 'entity',array('class' => 'PersonBundle:Students',
            'property' => 'students','expanded'=>false,'multiple'=>false))
        ->add('students2', 'entity',array('class' => 'PersonBundle:ForeignStudents',
                    'property' => 'foreignstudents','expanded'=>false,'multiple'=>false))
    ->add('submit','submit')
    ->getForm();
    if ($request->getMethod() == "POST") {
        $form->submit($request);
        if ($form->isValid()) {
            $postData = current($request->request->all());
            var_dump($postData); /* All post data is here */
           /* echo  $postData['students']; */
           /* echo  $postData['students2']; */
            /*
             * do you update stuff here
             * */
        }
    }
    return $this->render('ActPostBundle:Edition:select.html.twig', array('form'=>$form->createView()));
} 

In your twig ie ActPostBundle:Edition:select.html.twig render your form

{{ form(form) }}

Edit from comments

In your twig file render your form like

{{ form_errors(form) }}
{{ form_row(form.students) }}
{{ form_row(form.students2) }}
{{ form_row (form._token) }}
<input type="submit"> /* your submit button */

Edit from comments 2

IF you want to put the text in value attribute of selectbox you can use choice field type

$students = $em->getRepository('PersonBundle:Students')->findAll();
$students2 = $em->getRepository('PersonBundle:ForeignStudents')->findAll();
$studentsArray=array();
$students2Array=array();
foreach($students as $s){
$studentsArray[$s->getStudents()]=$s->getStudents();
}
foreach($students2 as $s){
$students2Array[$s->getForeignstudents()]=$s->getForeignstudents();
/* here array key part will be the value of selectbox like  $students2Array['your val to get in post data'] */
}
$form = $this->createFormBuilder($defaultData)
  ->add('students', 'choice',array('choices' => $studentsArray,'expanded'=>false,'multiple'=>false))
  ->add('students2', 'choice',array('choices' => $students2Array,'expanded'=>false,'multiple'=>false))
        ->add('submit','submit')
        ->getForm();