Avoid duplicate entries in Multi Enum

[shalmaxb]

Hi,
I have a Multi Enum Field with some terms. In a second Multi Enum field I want these terms translated. I created a formula array/push, which fills in automatically the provided translation of the term. If there is term A-original in one language, it will fill in Term-translated in the other field.
If I edit the record again, on saving, the formula array/push causes, that the same entry is filled in again (i.e. on every edit, I get a duplicate, triplicate .... entry).

How can I avoid that?

[telecastg]

Hello shalmaxb

I believe that the problem is that formula is actually a beforeSave hook so the array/push command will add a new element every time that you change and save the entity.

I assume that the Field A multiEnum does not allow duplicate entries and you want Field B to contain one value for each Field A value, and if there is no translation then copy the same value from Filed A to Field B.

That being the case, your logic would have to include a condition that a Field A value has not been already translated before it is added to Field B, and then you should also consider the possibility that a term was removed in Field A so it should also be removed from Field B.

The program logic would be:

a) Clear all values at Field B array
a) Iterate array that contains the values for Field A
b) For each element in Field A, find the translated value and append that value to the Field B array
d) If there is no translated value, then copy the value from the element in Field A to the element in Field B

This way you will always guarantee that Field B only contains an entry for each entry in Field A

I don't use formula, so I don't know how easy or difficult would be to create that kind of logic using formula, therefore my approach would be to write a beforeSave hook (which is really what formula is anyway) and use plain vanilla PHP to implement the logic like this:

namespace Espo\Custom\Hooks\YourEntity;

use Espo\ORM\Entity;

use Espo\Core\Utils\Language;

class YourEntityHooks
{

    public function __construct(Language $language)
    {
        $this->language = $language;
    }

    public function beforeSave(Entity $entity, array $options=array())
    {
        $arrayA = $entity->get("fieldA");
        $arrayB = [];
        foreach($arrayA as $aValue) {
           $translatedA =  $this->language->translateOption($aValue, "fieldA", $entity->getEntityType());
           if(!empty($translatedA) {
               $arrayB[] = $translatedA;
            } else {
                $arrayB[] = $aValue;
            }
        }
    }
} 

.

[shalmaxb]

Hi telecastg ,

again thank you very much for your help. Unforunately I am not a programmer and this kind of "advanced" technique I don`t understand completely.

Nevertheless I made my trial and error procedure (at least in the hope to learn something). But I ask you kindly for a little push in the right direction with my code.

My entity is called Objekte, so I created the file under Espo/Custom/Hooks/Objekte/objekte.php

The field in German is Zusatzfunktion (zusatzfunktion)
The field in English is Additional Function (additionalFunction)

Here is your code adapted to the real field and entity names:

<?php

namespace Espo\Custom\Hooks\Objekte;

use Espo\ORM\Entity;

use Espo\Core\Utils\Language;

class ObjekteHooks
{

public function __construct(Language $language)
{
$this->language = $language;
}

public function beforeSave(Entity $entity, array $options=array())
{
$zusatzfunktion = $entity->get('Zusatzfunktion');
$additionalFunction = [
'Datum' => 'Date',
'Alarm' => 'Alarm',
'Barometer' => 'Barometer',
'Beleuchtung' => 'Light',
'Höhenmesser' => 'Altimeter',
'Kompass' => 'Compass',
'Stoßsicherung' => 'Shock proof',
'Stoßsicherung Incabloc' => 'Shock proof Incabloc',
'Weckfunktion' => 'Alarm',
'Weltzeitindikator' => 'Worldtime indicator'
];
foreach($zusatzfunktion as $zusatzfunktionValue) {
$additionalFunction = $this->language->translateOption($zusatzfunktionValue, 'Zusatzfunktion', $entity->getEntityType());
(Line 34, see error)     if(!empty($additionalFunction) {
$additionalFunction[] = $additionalFunction;
} else {
$additionalFunction[] = $zusatzfunktionValue;
}
}
}
}

Into the additionalFunction array I placed word pairs of german => english terms. But as it does not work, there must be one ore more mistakes. Help is appreciated.

[shalmaxb]

I get this error:

[2022-02-02 15:05:33] ERROR: Slim Application Error Type: ParseError Code: 0 Message: syntax error, unexpected '{' File: G:\laragon\www\design\custom\Espo\Custom\Hooks\Objekte\objekte.php Line: 34

[telecastg]

Hello shalmaxb ,

The error is pointing to an unexpected "{" character in line 34 of your code, I checked the code and the problem is that your are missing a closing parenthesis ")" character in the statement:

Now is: if(!empty($additionalFunction) {

Should be: if(!empty($additionalFunction)) {

The "if" statement is not closed because of the missing closing parenthesis so the compiler sees the next character which is a "{" and then throws the error.

Glad to be able to help. I normally do not get into script debugging but in your case I have seen how much time you spend helping others and I don't mind pitching in when you need it.