Model Callback beforeDelete

Question

I'm trying to delete images when deleting the container of those images with a cascading model::delete

The cascading works fine, but I can't get the model call back afterDelete to work properly so I can delete the actual image files when doing the delete.

function beforeDelete() {
    $containerId = $this->id;
    $numberOfImages = $this->RelatedImage->find('count', array('conditions' => array('RelatedImage.container_id' => 'containerId')));
    if ($numberOfImages > 0){   
        $relatedImages = $this->RelatedImage->find('all', array('conditions' => array('RelatedImage.container_id' => 'containerId')));
        foreach ($relatedImages as $image) {
            $myFile = WWW_ROOT . 'image' . $containerId . '_i' . $image['RelatedImage']['id']  . '.jpg';
            unlink($myFile);
            $myThumb = WWW_ROOT . 'img/' . $image['RelatedImage']['thumbnail'];
            unlink($myThumb);
        }
        return true;
    } else{
        return false;
    }
}

The if statement fails each time, even though I know there are images in the table. If I can get the if statement to at least execute i will add further validation on the unlink.

Answer 1

If the models are related with hasMany/hasOne, both RelatedImage::beforeDelete() and RelatedImage::afterDelete() should be called when they are removed. Try putting the delete logic there instead?

Answer 2

I would do it in this way:

in beforeDelete get the images data

function beforeDelete(){
  $relatedImages = $this->RelatedImage->find('all', array('conditions' => array('RelatedImage.container_id' => 'containerId')));
  $this->relatedImages = $relatedImages;
  $this->currentId = $this->id; //I am not sure if this is necessary
  return true;
}

then in the afterDelete() as Oscar suggest do the actual delete of the image:

function afterDelete(){
  $relatedImages = $this->relatedImages;
  $containerId = $this->currentId; //probably this could be just $this->id;
  foreach ($relatedImages as $image) {
        $myFile = WWW_ROOT . 'image' . $containerId . '_i' . $image['RelatedImage']['id']  . '.jpg';
        unlink($myFile);
        $myThumb = WWW_ROOT . 'img/' . $image['RelatedImage']['thumbnail'];
        unlink($myThumb);
    }
}

this way you are save, even if the model fail to delete the record you will delete images only if the delete was actually happen.

HTH