CakePHP - Can't get HABTM data to save with new record

Question

So I have two models, Post and Event. Both "haveAndBelongToMany" with each other.

In the Post.php model file I have this:

public $hasAndBelongsToMany = array(
    "Events"=>array(
        "className"=>"Event",
        "joinTable"=>"events_posts",
        "foreignKey"=>"post_id",
        "associationForeignKey"=>"event_id",
        "unique"=>true
    )
);

In the Event.php model file, I have this:

public $hasAndBelongsToMany = array(
        "Posts"=>array(
            "className"=>"Post",
            "joinTable"=>"events_posts",
            "foreignKey"=>"event_id",
            "associationForeignKey"=>"post_id",
            "unique"=>true
        )
    );

My database has a table called "events_posts" with the two fields: post_id, event_id.

Now, in a different controller where I need to manually save info (not through a form) I have this chunk of code:

$post_data = array(
        "Post"=>array(
            "image_id"=>$entry['id'],
            "image_url"=>$entry['images']['standard_resolution']['url'],
            "image_thumb"=>$entry['images']['low_resolution']['url'],
            "image_text"=>$entry['caption']['text'],
            "status"=>'1',
            "created_on"=>$entry['created_time'],
            "instagram_user_id"=>$user_id
        ),
        "Event"=>array(
            "Event"=>array($event['Event']['id'])
        )
    );
$result = $this->Post->save($post_data,array('deep' => true)); 

It's saving the new post data, but not saving the relation into the events_posts table... Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong? This is driving me absolutely insane.

Answer 1

Use the singularize model name for associations. Follow the Model and Database Conventions and add the following code in your Post model.

class Post extends AppModel {

    public $hasAndBelongsToMany = array(
        "Event"
    );

}

Then for saving the data from the controller you only need save($post_data).

$result = $this->Post->save($post_data);

Tested with CakePHP 2.6.0 and CakePHP 2.3.4.