Write to multiple tables in joomla component?

Question

I\'m trying to create a component (front end) that uses multiple tables. I found 1 or 2 post that partially answer to the question but none really does. The point seems alwa

Answer 1

I finally made it. As I spent many hours on this and found that a lot of people where looking for an answer, here is how I did.

I suppose you know how to create a component, using the standard MVC structure:

1. Component entry point
2. Component controller
3. Eventually component router
4. Component view
5. Component model
6. Component controller

In model components\my_component\models\my_model.php create your own save function

public function save($data)
{
    // Initialise variables.
    $userId = (!empty($data['id'])) ? $data['id'] : (int)$this->getState('user.id');
    $user = JFactory::getUser();

    $table_one = $this->getTable('TableOne', 'MyComponentTable', array());
    $table_two = $this->getTable('TableTwo', 'MyComponentTable', array());

    // Bind the data.
    if (!$table_one->bind($data))
    {
        $this->setError(JText::sprintf('USERS PROFILE BIND FAILED', $user->getError()));
        return false;
    }

    if (!$table_two->bind($data))
    {
        $this->setError(JText::sprintf('USERS PROFILE BIND FAILED', $user->getError()));
        return false;
    }

    // Store the data.
    if (!$table_one->save($data))
    {
        $this->setError($user->getError());
        return false;
    }

    if (!$table_two->save($data))
    {
        $this->setError($user->getError());
        return false;
    }

    return $user->id;
}

Of course, you need the getTable function called in the save function

public function getTable($type = 'TableOne', $prefix = 'MyComponentTable', $config = array())
{
    // call the administrator\components\com_mycomponent\tables\__tablename__.php
    $this->addTablePath(JPATH_COMPONENT_ADMINISTRATOR . '/tables');
    return JTable::getInstance($type, $prefix, $config);
}

And it works! So simple! Of course, as I said in my question the whole $data is sent to the parent save() function to with data that are not necessary for table_one or table_two. It works this way with the standard joomla structure (no hack or direct query in the code).

Hope it helps.