Custom Doctrine Repository

Repository.php

<?php

namespace My\Doctrine;

use Doctrine\ORM\EntityRepository;

/**
 * Custom Repository extending basic EntityRepository functionality
 * 
 * @author Bernard Baltrusaitis <bernard@runawaylover.info> 
 */
class Repository extends EntityRepository
{
    /**
     * Prepare attributes for entity 
     * replace foreign keys with entity instances
     * 
     * @param array $attributes entity attributes
     * @return array modified attributes values 
     */
    public function prepareAttributes(array $attributes)
    {
        foreach ($attributes as $fieldName => &$fieldValue) {
            if (!$this->getClassMetadata()->hasAssociation($fieldName)) {
                continue;
            }
            
            $association = $this->getClassMetadata()
                ->getAssociationMapping($fieldName);
            
            $fieldValue = $this->getEntityManager()
                ->getReference($association['targetEntity'], $fieldValue);
            
            unset($fieldValue);    
        }
        
        return $attributes;
    }
}