I am trying to create a reference app in DRF 3 to demonstrate a nested serializer that can create/update models. The sample code below bombs with "*create() argument after ** must be a mapping, not list*" when trying to create the nested models. It is also no clear to me how I'd handle the .update() as in some cases I just want to be establish additional relationships (Persons).
The sample models:
from django.db import models
class Person(models.Model):
name = models.CharField(max_length=128)
class Group(models.Model):
name = models.CharField(max_length=128)
persons = models.ManyToManyField(Person, through='Membership')
class Membership(models.Model):
person = models.ForeignKey(Person)
group = models.ForeignKey(Group)
And the serializers and viewsets:
from rest_framework.serializers import ModelSerializer
from rest_framework.viewsets import ModelViewSet
from app.models import Group, Person
class PersonSerializer(ModelSerializer):
class Meta:
model = Person
class GroupSerializer(ModelSerializer):
persons = PersonSerializer(many=True)
def create(self, validated_data):
persons = validated_data.pop('persons')
group = Group.objects.create(**validated_data)
if persons: # Bombs without this check
Person.objects.create(group=group, **persons) # Errors here
return group
class Meta:
model = Group
class PersonModelViewSet(ModelViewSet):
serializer_class = PersonSerializer
queryset = Person.objects.all()
class GroupModelViewSet(ModelViewSet):
serializer_class = GroupSerializer
queryset = Group.objects.all()
I am trying to POST some JSON that inserts a Group with two (related) Persons:
{
"persons": [
{ "name" : "name 1" },
{ "name" : "name 2" }
],
"name": "group name 1"
}
I have no clue if there is an easier way, but the only way I managed to get this to work is to reference the 'through' model "memberships" in the Group serializer and write custom code for .create() and .update(). This seems like a lot of work to just set M2M FK's. If someone knows a better way I'd love to hear it.
class GroupMembershipSerializer(ModelSerializer):
class Meta:
model = Membership
fields = ('person',)
class GroupCreateSerializer(ModelSerializer):
memberships = GroupMembershipSerializer(many=True, required=False)
def create(self, validated_data):
person_data = validated_data.pop('memberships')
group = Group.objects.create(**validated_data)
for person in person_data:
d=dict(person)
Membership.objects.create(group=group, person=d['person'])
return group
def update(self, instance, validated_data):
person_data = validated_data.pop('memberships')
for item in validated_data:
if Group._meta.get_field(item):
setattr(instance, item, validated_data[item])
Membership.objects.filter(group=instance).delete()
for person in person_data:
d=dict(person)
Membership.objects.create(group=instance, person=d['person'])
instance.save()
return instance
class Meta:
model = Group
class GroupCreateModelViewSet(ModelViewSet):
serializer_class = GroupCreateSerializer
queryset = Group.objects.all()
So you can create a new Group with related Person(s) using:
{
"name" : "Group 1",
"memberships" : [
{ "person" : 1 },
{ "person" : 2 }
]
}
Use PrimaryKeyRelatedField
shown here:
http://www.django-rest-framework.org/api-guide/relations/#primarykeyrelatedfield
class GroupSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
persons = serializers.PrimaryKeyRelatedField(
many=True, queryset=Person.objects.all())
class Meta:
model = Group
fields = ('name', 'persons')
Create each person first, for example. Person with ID 1, Name = "Bob". Person with ID 2, Name = "Tim". Then post them to the REST Endpoint using their primary keys
So:
# Group create() REST endpoint data to POST
{'name': 'my group', 'persons': [1, 2]}
Now the people that you had created prior, are part of that Group.