In SuiteCRM how to add custom field in sub panel from relationship table?

Question

I have a module and a sub panel with another module in relationship with it. As shown in below image-

In the above image its a sub-panel of a module in the relationship, I have added a column in the relationship table in database.

My requirement is to add that field in this sub-panel list view like shown in image in red rectangle, which is ideally not possible from the studio as per my knowledge. If anyone has idea to do stuff like this please share.

Answer 1

There may come a time in the development of a custom SuiteCRM module when it would be handy to store additional data in the relationship table between two modules. This is not possible in studio or module builder and is not that straight forward even for an experienced coder unless you have a deep understanding of SuiteCRM underlying architecture.

Step 1 The first thing you need to do is define your new fields in the metadata for the relationship. I will be adding the field in the relationship between a custom module FP_events and Contacts. The relationship fp_events_contacts is a many to many and the subpanel will be displaying the field in the contacts subpanel on the FP_events module.

This file can be found at custom/metadata/fp_events_contactsMetaData.php

In the code below notice that I added a field called date_cancelled with type date to the fields array.

$dictionary["fp_events_contacts"] = array (
 'true_relationship_type' => 'many-to-many',
 'relationships' =>
 array (
 'fp_events_contacts' =>
 array (
 'lhs_module' => 'FP_events',
 'lhs_table' => 'fp_events',
 'lhs_key' => 'id',
 'rhs_module' => 'Contacts',
 'rhs_table' => 'contacts',
 'rhs_key' => 'id',
 'relationship_type' => 'many-to-many',
 'join_table' => 'fp_events_contacts_c',
 'join_key_lhs' => 'fp_events_contactsfp_events_ida',
 'join_key_rhs' => 'fp_events_contactscontacts_idb',
 ),
 ),
 'table' => 'fp_events_contacts_c',
 'fields' =>
 array (
 0 =>
 array (
 'name' => 'id',
 'type' => 'varchar',
 'len' => 36,
 ),
 1 =>
 array (
 'name' => 'date_modified',
 'type' => 'datetime',
 ),
 2 =>
 array (
 'name' => 'deleted',
 'type' => 'bool',
 'len' => '1',
 'default' => '0',
 'required' => true,
 ),
 3 =>
 array (
 'name' => 'fp_events_contactsfp_events_ida',
 'type' => 'varchar',
 'len' => 36,
 ),
 4 =>
 array (
 'name' => 'fp_events_contactscontacts_idb',
 'type' => 'varchar',
 'len' => 36,
 ),
 5 =>
 array (
 'name' => 'invite_status',
 'type' => 'varchar',
 'len'=>'25',
 'default'=>'Not Invited',
 ),
 6 =>
 array (
 'name' => 'accept_status',
 'type' => 'varchar',
 'len'=>'25',
 'default'=>'No Response',
 ),
 7 =>
 array (
 'name' => 'email_responded',
 'type' => 'int',
 'len' => '2',
 'default' => '0',
 ),
 8 =>
          array (
              'name' => 'date_cancelled',
              'type' => 'date',
          ),
 ),
 'indices' =>
 array (
 0 =>
 array (
 'name' => 'fp_events_contactsspk',
 'type' => 'primary',
 'fields' =>
 array (
 0 => 'id',
 ),
 ),
 1 =>
 array (
 'name' => 'fp_events_contacts_alt',
 'type' => 'alternate_key',
 'fields' =>
 array (
 0 => 'fp_events_contactsfp_events_ida',
 1 => 'fp_events_contactscontacts_idb',
 ),
 ),
 ),
);

Once you have added your desired fields to the fields arrays do a quick repair and rebuild from the admin panel of SuiteCRM and then execute the suggested SQL queries this will add the fields to the database table for the relationship. (I double-checked that the fields were added by going into phpmyadmin and looking at the fp_events_contacts_c table.)

Step 2 Your fields are now defined and in the actual database table but your only halfway their if you want your fields to actually be displayed in the subpanel. The next thing you want to do is define your new fields in the vardefs for the relationship. This is done by adding a file in the custom/Extensions folder like so: custom/Extension/modules/Contacts/Ext/Vardefs/CAN_BE_ANY_NAME.php

In this file add the following three definitions for each field your adding. Pay careful attention that all the field names and ids match up between definitions as minor typos here will prevent the fields from showing in the subpanel and can be major pain to spot:

$dictionary['Contact']['fields']['e_date_cancelled'] =
 array (
 'name' => 'e_date_cancelled',
 'rname' => 'id',
 'relationship_fields'=>array('id' => 'cancelled_id', 'date_cancelled' => 'event_cancelled'),
 'vname' => 'LBL_CONT_ACCEPT_CANCELLED',
 'type' => 'relate',
 'link' => 'fp_events_contacts',
 'link_type' => 'relationship_info',
 'join_link_name' => 'fp_events_contacts',
 'source' => 'non-db',
 'importable' => 'false',
 'duplicate_merge'=> 'disabled',
 'studio' => false,
 );

$dictionary['Contact']['fields']['event_cancelled'] =
 array(
 'massupdate' => false,
 'name' => 'event_cancelled',
 'type' => 'date',
 'studio' => 'false',
 'source' => 'non-db',
 'vname' => 'LBL_LIST_ACCEPT_CANCELLED',
 'importable' => 'false',
 );
$dictionary['Contact']['fields']['cancelled_id'] =
 array(
 'name' => 'cancelled_id',
 'type' => 'varchar',
 'source' => 'non-db',
 'vname' => 'LBL_LIST_ACCEPT_CANCELLED',
 'studio' => array('listview' => false),
 );

Step 3 The final thing you need to do is define the fields in the actual layout defs of the subpanel. In this case, that file is located: custom/modules/Contacts/metadata/subpanels/FP_events_subpanel_fp_events_contacts.php

In the code below notice that I add my field event_cancelled (as defined in the step 2 vardefs) to list_fields array and further down in the array I also add e_date_cancelled and cancelled_id and mark their usage as query_only.

$subpanel_layout['list_fields'] = array (
 'name' =>
 array (
 'name' => 'name',
 'vname' => 'LBL_LIST_NAME',
 'sort_by' => 'last_name',
 'sort_order' => 'asc',
 'widget_class' => 'SubPanelDetailViewLink',
 'module' => 'Contacts',
 'width' => '23%',
 'default' => true,
 ),
 'account_name' =>
 array (
 'name' => 'account_name',
 'module' => 'Accounts',
 'target_record_key' => 'account_id',
 'target_module' => 'Accounts',
 'widget_class' => 'SubPanelDetailViewLink',
 'vname' => 'LBL_LIST_ACCOUNT_NAME',
 'width' => '22%',
 'sortable' => false,
 'default' => true,
 ),
 'phone_work' =>
 array (
 'name' => 'phone_work',
 'vname' => 'LBL_LIST_PHONE',
 'width' => '15%',
 'default' => true,
 ),
 'email1' =>
 array (
 'name' => 'email1',
 'vname' => 'LBL_LIST_EMAIL',
 'widget_class' => 'SubPanelEmailLink',
 'width' => '20%',
 'sortable' => false,
 'default' => true,
 ),
 'event_status_name' =>
 array (
 'vname' => 'LBL_STATUS',
 'width' => '10%',
 'sortable' => false,
 'default' => true,
 ),
 'event_accept_status' =>
 array (
 'width' => '10%',
 'sortable' => false,
 'default' => true,
 'vname' => 'LBL_ACCEPT_STATUS',
 ),
 'event_cancelled' =>
 array (
 'width' => '10%',
 'sortable' => false,
 'default' => true,
 'vname' => 'LBL_ACCEPT_CANCELLED',
 ),
 'edit_button' =>
 array (
 'vname' => 'LBL_EDIT_BUTTON',
 'widget_class' => 'SubPanelEditButton',
 'module' => 'Contacts',
 'width' => '5%',
 'default' => true,
 ),
 'remove_button' =>
 array (
 'vname' => 'LBL_REMOVE',
 'widget_class' => 'SubPanelRemoveButton',
 'module' => 'Contacts',
 'width' => '5%',
 'default' => true,
 ),
 'e_accept_status_fields' =>
 array (
 'usage' => 'query_only',
 ),
 'event_status_id' =>
 array (
 'usage' => 'query_only',
 ),
 'e_invite_status_fields' =>
 array (
 'usage' => 'query_only',
 ),
 'event_invite_id' =>
 array (
 'usage' => 'query_only',
 ),
 'e_date_cancelled' =>
 array (
 'usage' => 'query_only',
 ),
 'cancelled_id' =>
 array (
 'usage' => 'query_only',
 ),
 'first_name' =>
 array (
 'name' => 'first_name',
 'usage' => 'query_only',
 ),
 'last_name' =>
 array (
 'name' => 'last_name',
 'usage' => 'query_only',
 ),
 'salutation' =>
 array (
 'name' => 'salutation',
 'usage' => 'query_only',
 ),
 'account_id' =>
 array (
 'usage' => 'query_only',
 ),
);

Also, remember to add the label in this case LBL_ACCEPT_CANCELLED to the custom language strings.

I added it to: custom/Extension/application/Ext/Language/en_us.Advanced OpenEvents.php

$app_strings['LBL_ACCEPT_CANCELLED'] = 'Date Cancelled';

But it may work if added to the mod strings.

Now do another quick repair and rebuild from the admin panel and your custom relationship fields should now be showing up on the subpanel. You will now be able to add data into these fields in your module controller either via queries or through SuiteCRM bean framework.

Note you might have to manually go into the database and add some dummy data into those fields to confirm they are showing (Assuming you have not yet added any data to your new fields).

Cheers!