How to sort related children Models using FuelPHP's ORM

Question

I have a 3 level Models structure:

• Model_Race has_many Model_Class

• Model_Class has_many Model_Driver

Now, imagine Model_Class and Model_Driver have an order_index property to keep them in order.

Is there a clean way to get a Race and have the Class and Driver's sorted correctly?

Answer 1

The documentation clearly shows this, I somehow missed it:

Find Array Syntax

$race = Model_Race::find($id, array(
        'related' => array(
            'class' => array(
                'order_by' => array('order_index' => 'asc'),
                'related' => array(
                    'driver' => array(
                        'order_by' => array('order_index' => 'asc'),
                    )
                )
            )
        )
    )
);

Using Query Method Chaining Syntax

(my preferred method over array syntax above)

$race = Model_Race::query()
    ->related('race.class')
    ->related('race.class.driver)
    ->order_by('race.class.order_index', 'asc')
    ->order_by('race.class.driver.order_index', 'asc')
    ->get();

Build it into the Model

You can set up the relationships in the model so that this happens by default:

Race Model:

protected static $_has_many = [
    'classes' => [
        'conditions' => [
            'order_by' => [
                'order_index' => 'asc'
            ]
        ]
    ]
];

Class Model:

protected static $_has_many = [
    'drivers' => [
        'conditions' => [
            'order_by' => [
                'order_index' => 'asc'
            ]
        ]
    ]
];