I have a recursive function with a bug that I am having trouble with. The logic is as follows:
Forms have Fields of various types. One type of field is a Reference Field, which links a Form to another Form. And, References can chain. Example: I can have a Prescription Form with a Reference to an Encounter, that has a Reference to Doctor that has a Reference to Person. The same Encounter Form has a Reference to Patient That also refers to Person.
So, the Reference field chain for Doctor Last Name would look like Field 49 on Prescription refers to Encounter. Field 7 on Encounter refers to Doctor. Field 6 on Doctor refers to Person. Field 1 on Person refers to Last Name. [49-7-6-1]
The Reference chain for Patient Last Name would be [49-5-4-1] following the same logic.
My problem is this. With the current function, the Reference chain strings have problems if I have branching references at a lower level. Instead of ending up with [49-5-4-1] for Patient Last Name, I get [49-7-5-4-1].
The function is as follows:
function get_reference_fields($form_id, $base_fields = array(), $ref_field_id = null, $ref_string = null, $field_name = null,$base_form = null,$form_name=null) {
if(!$base_form) {
$base_form = $form_id;
}
App::import('model', 'Section');
$zmr_sections = new Section();
$sectionList = $zmr_sections->getSectionList($form_id);
if ($sectionList) {
$new_base_fields = $this->Field->find('list', array('joins' => array(
array(
'table' => 'field_types',
'alias' => 'Type',
'type' => 'left',
'foreignKey' => false,
'conditions' => array('Type.id = Field.field_type_id')
)), 'conditions' => array('Type.base_type != "formatting" AND Type.base_type != "reference" AND Type.base_type != "reverse reference"', 'Field.active=1', 'Field.section_id IN (' . $sectionList . ')')));
if ($ref_field_id) {
$newFields = array();
foreach ($new_base_fields AS $key => $field) {
if ($field_name) {
$field = $form_name . ' - ' . $field;
}
$newFields[$ref_string . '-' . $key] = $field;
}
$new_base_fields = $newFields;
}
if (!$base_fields) {
$base_fields = array();
}
$base_fields = $base_fields + $new_base_fields;
$reference_fields = $this->Field->find('all', array('joins' => array(
array(
'table' => 'field_types',
'alias' => 'Type',
'type' => 'left',
'foreignKey' => false,
'conditions' => array('Type.id = Field.field_type_id')
)), 'conditions' => array('Type.base_type' => 'reference', 'Field.active=1', 'Field.section_id IN (' . $sectionList . ')')));
foreach ($reference_fields AS $reference_field) {
$field_name = $reference_field['Field']['name'];
$query = "SELECT form_id FROM zmr_lists WHERE id=" . $reference_field['Field']['zmr_list_id'];
$list_data = $this->query($query);
$new_form_id = $list_data[0]['zmr_lists']['form_id'];
if($form_id == $base_form){
$ref_string = $reference_field['Field']['id'];
$form_name = $this->Field->Section->Form->field('Form.label',array('Form.id'=>$new_form_id));
}else{
$ref_string .= '-'. $reference_field['Field']['id'];
$form_name .= '-'. $this->Field->Section->Form->field('Form.label',array('Form.id'=>$new_form_id));
}
$base_fields = $this->get_reference_fields($new_form_id, $base_fields, $reference_field['Field']['id'], $ref_string, $field_name,$base_form,$form_name);
}
}
return $base_fields;
}
==================================
And, a sample result set for the data is:
[49-7-6-48] => Doctor - Primary Role
[49-7-6-43] => Doctor - State
[49-7-6-11] => Doctor - Password
[49-7-6-2] => Doctor - Last Name
[49-7-6-10] => Doctor - Username
[49-7-6-28] => Doctor - City
[49-7-6-1] => Doctor - First Name
[49-7-6-24] => Doctor - Middle Initial
[49-7-6-27] => Doctor - Address2
[49-7-6-25] => Doctor - Date of Birth
[49-7-6-47] => Doctor - Phone Number
[49-7-6-26] => Doctor - Address1
[49-7-5-68] => PSG Study - Patient ID Number
[49-7-5-67] => PSG Study - Insurance Provider's Name
[49-7-5-74] => PSG Study - PCP referral required?
[49-7-5-73] => PSG Study - Pre-Authorization Obtained?
[49-7-5-22] => PSG Study - Special Needs
[49-7-5-76] => PSG Study - PCP Phone Number
[49-7-5-69] => PSG Study - Group Number
[49-7-5-70] => PSG Study - Relationship to Insured Member
[49-7-5-71] => PSG Study - Referring Doctor
[49-7-5-75] => PSG Study - If Yes, PCP Name:
[49-7-5-72] => PSG Study - Diagnoses:
[49-7-5-4-48] => Patient - Primary Role
[49-7-5-4-43] => Patient - State
[49-7-5-4-11] => Patient - Password
[49-7-5-4-2] => Patient - Last Name
[49-7-5-4-10] => Patient - Username
[49-7-5-4-28] => Patient - City
[49-7-5-4-1] => Patient - First Name
[49-7-5-4-24] => Patient - Middle Initial
[49-7-5-4-27] => Patient - Address2
[49-7-5-4-25] => Patient - Date of Birth
[49-7-5-4-47] => Patient - Phone Number
[49-7-5-4-26] => Patient - Address1
=========================
Can anybody help me figure out an algorithm to properly generate the reference chains? Please note, it is technically possible for a form to refer to itself. For example, a Doctor can have a Reference to another Doctor (trainee or supervisor, etc.)
I found the answer. I knew the initialization of the ref_string was the problem. I just couldn’t get my head around it. I added this immediately after the recursive function call