Displaying many-to-many subsets with different names? in Django template - django

Question

I plan to get rid of the related name the next time I rebuild the database...the models I am using are more of test-models. So, with Class Creator and the writer, cover_artist, etc., how would I go about displaying the issues that Creator has created (once I get rid of the related name, unless there's a way to go around it)?
class Creator(models.Model):
name = models.CharField(max_length=256)
desc = models.TextField("description", blank=True, null=True)
#type = writer, artist, editor, letterer
slug = models.SlugField(blank=True, null=True)
def __unicode__(self):
return self.name
class Meta:
ordering = ['name']
def get_absolute_url(self):
return "/comics2/creators/%s" % self.slug
class Issue(models.Model):
....
writer = models.ManyToManyField(Creator, related_name="written by", help_text="Use cmd/ctrl + click to select multiple names. The same applies to the rest of the creators below.", blank=True, null=True)
artist = models.ManyToManyField(Creator, related_name="drawn by", blank=True, null=True)
cover_artist = models.ManyToManyField(Creator, related_name="cover drawn by", blank=True, null=True)
colorist = models.ManyToManyField(Creator, related_name="colored by", blank=True, null=True)
inker = models.ManyToManyField(Creator, related_name="inked by", blank=True, null=True)
penciller = models.ManyToManyField(Creator, related_name="pencilled by", blank=True, null=True)
letterer = models.ManyToManyField(Creator, related_name="lettered by", blank=True, null=True)
editor = models.ManyToManyField(Creator, related_name="edited by", blank=True, null=True)
arc = models.ManyToManyField(Arc, related_name="related story arc", blank=True, null=True)
...
def __unicode__(self):
return u'%s %s' % (self.title, self.number)
def get_absolute_url(self):
return "/comics2/issues/%s" % self.slug
class Meta:
ordering = ['title', 'number']
def get_stars(self):
star_rating = self.rating * 16
return star_rating
....
{% for issue in creator.____?__.all %}
<ul>
<li>{{ issue }}</li>
</ul>
{% endfor %}
Is not going to work.
Thanks.

Answer 1

I would suggest changing your models.py to have Issue have a Many to Many relationship to Creator through another table, e.g. Role. See docs here.
class Creator(models.Model):
name = models.CharField(max_length=256)
desc = models.TextField("description", blank=True, null=True)
slug = models.SlugField(blank=True, null=True)
def __unicode__(self):
return self.name
class Meta:
ordering = ['name']
def get_absolute_url(self):
return "/comics2/creators/%s" % self.slug
class Issue(models.Model):
creators = models.ManyToManyField(Creator, through='Role')
arc = models.ManyToManyField(Arc, related_name="related story arc", blank=True, null=True)
...
def __unicode__(self):
return u'%s %s' % (self.title, self.number)
def get_absolute_url(self):
return "/comics2/issues/%s" % self.slug
class Meta:
ordering = ['title', 'number']
def get_stars(self):
star_rating = self.rating * 16
return star_rating
class Role(models.Model):
issue = models.ForeignKey(Issue)
creator = models.ForeignKey(Creator)
role = models.CharField()
...
edit:
in your issues view, you would get the different roles and pass it to your template (for example):
def issue_detail(request, issue_slug=None):
issue = get_object_or_404(Issue, slug=creator_slug)
writers = issue.creators.filter(role__role='writer')
cover_artists = issue.creators.filter(role__role='cover artist')
...
context = { 'issue': issue,
'writers': writers,
'cover_artists': cover_artists,
...
}
return render_to_response('issue_detail.html', context,
context_instance=RequestContext(request))
template:
<label>Writers</label>
{% for writer in writers %}
{{ writer }}
{% endfor %}
<label>Cover Artists</label>
{% for cover_artist in cover_artists %}
{{ cover_artist }}
{% endfor %}
creator view:
def creator_detail(request, issue_slug=None):
creator = get_object_or_404(Creator, slug=issue_slug)
issues_as_writer = creator.issue_set.filter(role__role='writer')
issues_as_cover_artists = creator.issue_set.filter(role__role='cover artist')
#all issues related to this creator
all_issues = creator.issue_set.all()
...
context = { 'creator': creator,
'issues_as_writer': issues_as_writer,
'issues_as_cover_artist': issues_as_cover_artist,
...
'all_issues': all_issues,
}
return render_to_response('creator_detail.html', context,
context_instance=RequestContext(request))