In order to order the dropdown list, ie, the foreign look up table, you need to define a custom sort order using the peer_method. Here is an example.

Here, the foreign table is staff and foreign key is staff_id.

In the generator.yml on the main admin generator form:

    edit:
      fields:
        staff_id:      { params: peer_method=getSortedByName }

In lib/model/StaffPeer.php:

class StaffPeer extends BaseStaffPeer
{
    // return staff list in the order of First name, Last name
    public static function getSortedByName() {
        $c = new Criteria();
        $c->addAscendingOrderByColumn(StaffPeer::FIRST_NAME);
        $c->addAscendingOrderByColumn(StaffPeer::LAST_NAME);
        return StaffPeer::doSelect($c);
    }
 . . .

Fields definitions can be found in 'lib/model/om/BaseStaffPeer.php'.

xpt

documented on: 2007.09.20

> do i have the opportunity to list my items in the select tag of my edit form
> by name ?

I think it might be possible to define a custom sort order using the peer_method.

documented on: 13 February 2007, mikenolan

Am I right in thinking that Aston wants to sort the order of your select tag?

Here's a quick example I just applied to my 'Page' class and admin generator. It has a parent_id which is a foreign key to itself.

In the generator.yml:

generator:
  class:              sfPropelAdminGenerator
  param:
    model_class:      Page
    theme:            default
    edit:
      fields:
        parent_id:
          params:
            include_blank:    true
            peer_method:  getSorted

Then in the PagePeer class I added:

public static function getSorted() {
        $c = new Criteria();
        $c->addAscendingOrderByColumn(PagePeer::TITLE);
        return PagePeer::doSelect($c);
}

Clear the cache and reload and your select tag should be sorted alphabetically!

documented on: 15 February 2007, mikenolan