Post method to pass data to multiple model serializers - django

Question

I am new to Django and have a json object whose data has to be split and stored in 3 different Django models. I'm trying to figure out if I'm doing this correctly in using the view file and serializers in Django.
The json object that I receive into the views file looks like below:
[
{
"contact_entry":
{
"employee_name" : "Tom Hanks",
"employee_type" : "Full-time permanent"
},
"address" :
{
"line1": "1435 Manhattan Ave",
"line2": "Apt 123",
"city": "New York",
"state": "New York",
"country":"US",
},
"phone_number" :
{
"work_number": "9901948626"
"home_number": "9908847555"
}
}
]
I have three django models as shown below:
class ContactEntry(models.Model):
employee_name = models.CharField(max_length=128)
employee_type = models.CharField(max_length=128)
class Address(models.Model):
contact_entry = models.ForeignKey(ContactEntry, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
line1 = models.CharField(max_length=128)
line2 = models.CharField(max_length=128)
city = models.CharField(max_length=128)
state = models.CharField(max_length=128)
country = models.CharField(max_length=128)
class PhoneNumber(model.Model):
contact_entry = models.ForeignKey(ContactEntry, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
work_number = models.IntegerField(max_length=10)
home_number = models.IntegerField(max_length=10)
Each of them has a ModelSerializer as shown below:
class ContactEntrySerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
class Meta:
model = ContactEntry
fields = '__all__'
class AddressSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
class Meta:
model = Address
fields = '__all__'
class PhoneNumberSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
class Meta:
model = PhoneNumber
fields = '__all__'
I have defined one serializer (inherited from serializers.serializer) that combines the above 3 serializers as shown below:
class CombinedSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
contact_entry = ContactEntrySerializer()
phone_number = PhoneNumberSerializer()
address = AddressSerializer()
The post method in my view is as shown below:
class CombinedContactView(APIView):
def post(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
# Validate JSON data with the serializer
serializer = CombinedSerializer(data=request.data, many=True)
serializer.is_valid(raise_exception=True)
validated_data = serializer.validated_data.pop()
contact_entry_data = validated_data['contact_entry']
address_data = validated_data['address']
phone_number_data = validated_data['phone_number']
# Create model for contact book entry
contact_entry_model = ContactEntry(**contact_entry_data)
contact_entry_model.save()
# Create model for address
address_data['contact_entry'] = contact_entry_model
address_model = Address(**address_data)
address_model.save()
# Create model for phone_number
phone_number_data['contact_entry'] = contact_entry_model
phone_number_model = PhoneNumber(**phone_number_data)
phone_number_model.save()
return HttpResponse(status=201)
The above code actually runs fine. I see the contact_entry object created and the address and phone_numbers correctly created (with a foreign key relationship to the contact_entry object). However, I'm concerned that I'm doing this in a roundabout way with lots of unnecessary code in my views file. Is there a more straightforward way to do this?

Answer 1

if you change your serializers to these you'll be OK:
class ContactEntrySerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
class Meta:
model = ContactEntry
fields = '__all__'
class AddressSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
contact_entry = ContactEntrySerializer(required=False)
class Meta:
model = Address
fields = '__all__'
class PhoneNumberSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
contact_entry = ContactEntrySerializer(required=False)
class Meta:
model = PhoneNumber
fields = '__all__'
just notice that i changed contact_entry on AddressSerializer and PhoneNumberSerializer to required=False so you can pass contact_entry validation and these two serializers. and after it your view do the rest.