How do I save a relationship field with save_entry()

Question

I need to use the channel entries API to save a relationship between two channels. I create an entry to channel A and then I create an entry to Channel B, channel B has a relationship field that needs to be set to point to the entry on Channel A.

I can create the entries with the save_entry() function, but I can't decipher how to set the relationship field on Channel B to Channel A.

My process is:

when I create the entry on Channel A I use the entry ID and pass it as the value of Channel B's relationship field. This does not work.

 $channel_b_entry = array(
        'title' => $data['title'],
        'field_id_26' => $data['type'],
        'field_id_29' => $data['channel_a_entry_id'],
        'field_ft_29' => 'xhtml',            
    );

In this case field_id_29 is a relationship field to channel A entries.

I have tried passing the id as an array

 $channel_b_entry = array(
        'title' => $data['title'],
        'field_id_26' => $data['type'],
        'field_id_29' => array($data['channel_a_entry_id']),
        'field_ft_29' => 'xhtml',            
    );

But that didn't work either.

Do I need to setup the relationship my self to the exp_relationship table, or the save_entry() takes care of that?

Answer 1

I've managed to tackle this issue myself using the following. The key data structure is immediately below with a full example beneath that. This will handle all the relationship stuff automatically.

Data array structure for relationships

$data = array(
    'title' => $title,
    'entry_date' => $date,
    'edit_date' => $date,
    'field_id_29' => array( 
        'data' => array( 
            $id
        ) 
    ),
    'field_ft_29' => 'xhtml'
);

Full example

// Load the api
ee()->load->library('api');
ee()->api->instantiate('channel_entries');
ee()->api->instantiate('channel_fields');

// Set up data for Channel A
$channel_a_id = 1;
$date = time();
$title = "Channel A Title";

$channel_a_data = array(
    'title' => $title,
    'entry_date' => $date,
    'edit_date' => $date
);

// Setup and save channel a entry
ee()->api_channel_fields->setup_entry_settings( $channel_a_id, $channel_a_data );
$success = ee()->api_channel_entries->save_entry( $channel_a_data, $channel_a_id );

// If successful move onto creating channel b entry
if ( $success ) {

    // Get the newly created entry_id from channel a
    $channel_a_entry_id = ee()->api_channel_entries->entry_id;
    $channel_b_id = 2;
    $title = "Channel B Title";

    $channel_b_data = array(
        'title' => $title,
        'entry_date' => $date,
        'edit_date' => $date,
        'field_id_29' => array( 
            'data' => array( 
                $channel_a_entry_id
            ) 
        ),
        'field_ft_29' => 'xhtml'
    );

    // Setup and save channel b entry
    ee()->api_channel_fields->setup_entry_settings( $channel_b_id, $channel_b_data );
    ee()->api_channel_entries->save_entry( $channel_b_data, $channel_b_id );

}

Answer 2

I got this working by inspecting the publish page, and a relationship field has a 'name' that looks like this:

<select name="field_id_90[data][]">

So it looks like EE expects a certain format to be submitted for relationships.

So you could add to your existing array like so:

$channel_b_entry['field_id_29']['data'][] = $data['channel_a_entry_id'];