Data from form not being passed to database

Question

I have created an edit form for an admin module, but have come across an issue with putting data into and pulling data from the database.

For example I have field A,B and C, where I place some data, this is lost before it gets to the database, although a new row and default values for that row are created. If I place data directly into the database my grid which I have created displays it as well as the empty rows that have been created. I don't understand why values are not being passed?

I have this

class Training_Animal_Block_Adminhtml_Animal_Edit_Form
extends Mage_Adminhtml_Block_Widget_Form
{
protected function _prepareForm()
{
    $form = new Varien_Data_Form(array(
        'id'        => 'edit_form',//id for the form
        'action'    => $this->getUrl('*/*/save', 
                array('id' => $this->getRequest()->getParam('id'))),//post action
        'method'    => 'post',//the method
        'enctype'   => 'multipart/form_data',//allows posting of files
    ));
    $form->setUseContainer(TRUE);
    $this->setForm($form);

    return parent::_prepareForm();
}
}

and this

class Training_Animal_Block_Adminhtml_Animal_Edit_Tab_General
extends Mage_Adminhtml_Block_Widget_Form
{
protected function _prepareForm()
{
    //instantiates form
    $form = new Varien_Data_Form();
    $form->setHtmlIdPrefix('general');
    $fieldset = $form->addFieldset('general_form', array(
        'legend' => $this->__('General Setup')
    ));            

    if ( Mage::registry('current_animal')->getId() ){
        //creates fieldset for form
        $fieldset->addField('entity_id', 'label', array(
            'label' => $this->__('Entity id %s', 
                    Mage::registry('current_animal')->getId()
            )
        ));
    }

    $fieldset->addField('name', 'text', array(
        'label'     => $this->__('Name'),
        'class'     => 'required-entry',
        'required'  => TRUE,
        'name'      => 'name'//matches with name from entity and $form->addValues($this->getFormData()); will pass in information from entity
    ));

    $fieldset->addField('type', 'text', array(
        'label'     => $this->__('Animal Type'),
        'class'     => 'required-entry',
        'required'  => TRUE,
        'name'      => 'type'
    ));

    $fieldset->addField('edible', 'select', array(
        'label'     => $this->__('Is Edible'),
        'class'     => 'required-entry',
        'required'  => TRUE,
        'name'      => 'edible',
        'values'    => array('No', 'Yes', 'Maybe'),
        //or: Mage::getModel('training/entity_attribute_source_maybe')
        //                  ->getOptionArray(),
    ));

    //passes data from entity
    $form->addValues($this->getFormData());
    $this->setForm($form);

    return parent::_prepareForm();
}
}

I believe the above may hold the reason for the failure, but i am not sure. On checking the save action with var_dump() I can see the data is not passed.

The database columns are name, type, edible

===EDIT===

public function saveAction()
{

    if ( $data = $this->getRequest()->getPost() ) {
        $this->_getSession()->setFormData($data);
        $model = Mage::getModel('training/animal');
        $id = $this->getRequest()->getParam('id');
        try {
            if ( $id ) {
                $model->load($id);
            }
            $model->addData($data);
            //saves data
            $model->save();

            $this->_getSession()->addSuccess(
                    $this->__('Animal was saved'));

            $this->_getSession()->setFormData(false);

            if ( $this->getRequest()->getParam('back') ) {
                $params = array('id' => $model->getId());
                $this->_redirect('*/*/edit', $params);
            } else {
                $this->_redirect('*/*/list');
            }
        } catch ( Exception $e ) {
            $this->_getSession()->addError($e->getMessage());
            if ( $model && $model->getId() ) {
                $this->_redirect('*/*/edit', array(
                    'id' => $model->getId()
                ));
            } else {
                $this->_redirect('*/*/new');
            }
        }

        return;
    }
    //if no data has been passed an error will be thrown and user redirected
    $this->_getSession()->addError($this__('No data found to save'));
    $this->_redirect('*/*');
}

===EDIT===

Hope this can help with a solution

I have looked at the HTML that is being generated in the browser, and it shows

<div class="entry-edit">
    <form id="edit_form" action="http://magentodevtest.local/index.php/admin/animal/save/" method="post" enctype="multipart/form_data">
        <div>
            <input name="form_key" type="hidden" value="LmdBGhXdIcQWBm0e" />
        </div>
    </form>
</div>

name

type

edible

are all outside the form tags only form_key is within the tags and when I check in the save action only the form_key is being passed.

Answer 1

You are trying to find a troublesome drop in the middle of a river! I recommend to first confirm that everything is OK with your ORM using a workbench script:

<?php
header('Content-Type: text/plain);
error_reporting(E_ALL | E_STRICT);
ini_set('display_errors',true);
include 'app/Mage.php';
umask(0);
Mage::setIsDeveloperMode();
Mage::app();

$model = Mage::getModel('training/animal');
$model->setData(
    'name' => 'Tony',
    'type' => 'tiger',
    'edible' => 'no'
);
$model->save();
print_r($model->getData()); //should have array values & auto-increment ID

Answer 2

You are missing to close the header('Content-Type: text/plain); in the first line.... it should be like header('Content-Type: text/plain');