Fun with Tree Behaviour in CakePHP

I had a play with the Tree Behaviour in CakePHP and was very impressed at what you could create with such ease.

The Models

Before we get started, lets setup the models.

Category needs to have the Tree behaviour, and we also add a new function to count the related Post records.

<?php
class Category extends AppModel {
	var $name = 'Category';
	var $actsAs = array('Tree');

	var $hasMany = array(
		'Post' => array(
			'className' => 'Post',
			'foreignKey' => 'category_id',
		),
	);
	function postCount($id, $direct=false){
		if (!$direct) {
			$ids = array($id);
			$children = $this->children($id);
			foreach ($children as $child) {
				$ids[] = $child['Category']['id'];
			}
			$id = $ids;
		}
		$this->Post->recursive = -1;
		return $this->Post->findCount(array('category_id'=>$id));
	}

}
?>

<?php
class Post extends AppModel {
	var $name = 'Post';
    var $belongsTo = array(
        'Category' => array(
            'className' => 'Category',
            'foreignKey' => 'category_id',
        ),
	);
}
?>

Setting Up the Data

If you are like me, you probably already have your categories in a table with a parent_id style hierarchy.

In order to get started you need to add a lft and rght column to the table, and then populate the fields. Luckily there is an easy way to do this.

<?php
class CategoriesController extends AppController {
	var $name = 'Categories';
	function recover() {
		set_time_limit(60*60*24);
		$this->autoRender = false;
		$this->Category->recover();
		echo 'recovery completed...';
	}
}
?>

Finding Your Data

It is now very easy to get your data, and also very light on the database.

<?php
class CategoriesController extends AppController {
	var $name = 'Categories';

	function index() {
		$this->autoRender = false;
		
		// get a threaded list, for threaded categories output
		$threaded = $this->Category->find('threaded');
		debug($threaded);		
		
		// get a flat list, for select input
        $categories = $this->Category->generatetreelist(null, null, null, ' --| ');
		debug($categories);		
		
		// get a list of parents to the top, for breadcrumb
		$id = 123;
		$path = $this->Video->Category->getPath($id);
		debug($path); 

		// count the direct children
		$id = 123;
		$childCountDirect = $this->Category->childCount($id,true); 
		debug($childCountDirect); 
		
		// count the children and all subchildren recursively 
		$id = 123;
		$childCount = $this->Category->childCount($id); 
		debug($childCount); 

		// count the posts in the given category
		$id = 123;
		$postCountDirect = $this->Category->postCount($id,true); 
		debug($postCountDirect); 
		
		// count the posts in the given category and all subchildren recursively
		$id = 123;
		$postCount = $this->Category->postCount($id); 
		debug($postCount); 
	}
}
?>