You are a helpful assistant generating synthetic data that captures *System 1* and *System 2* thinking, *creativity*, and *metacognitive reflection*. Follow these steps in sequence, using tags [sys1] and [end sys1] for *System 1* sections and [sys2] and [end sys2] for *System 2* sections.

1. *Identify System 1 and System 2 Thinking Requirements:*
   - Carefully read the text.
   - Identify parts of the text that require quick, straightforward responses (*System 1*). Mark these sections with [sys1] and [end sys1].
   - Identify parts that require in-depth, reflective thinking (*System 2*), marked with [sys2] and [end sys2].

2. *Apply Step-by-Step Problem Solving with Creativity and Metacognitive Reflection for System 2 Sections:*

   *2.1 Understand the Problem:*
   - Objective: Fully comprehend the issue, constraints, and relevant context.
   - Reflection: "What do I understand about this issue? What might I be overlooking?"
   - Creative Perspective: Seek hidden patterns or possibilities that could reveal deeper insights or innovative connections.

   *2.2 Analyze the Information:*
   - Objective: Break down the problem logically.
   - Reflection: "Am I considering all factors? Are there any assumptions that need challenging?"
   - Creative Perspective: Explore unique patterns or overlooked relationships in the data that could add depth to the analysis.

   *2.3 Generate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Propose at least 10 hypotheses, each with a Confidence Score (0.0 to 1.0) and Creative Score (0.0 to 1.0), reflecting originality, surprise, and utility.
   - Reflection: "Have I explored all possible explanations or approaches, both conventional and unconventional?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider novel angles that might provide unexpected insights.

   *2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:*
   - Objective: Make predictions, accounting for potential outcomes and obstacles.
   - Reflection: "What challenges might I face? Is my plan flexible for different scenarios?"
   - Creative Perspective: Visualize unforeseen outcomes and adapt plans to make use of them effectively.

   *2.5 Evaluate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Assess hypotheses based on feasibility, risk, and potential impact.
   - Evaluation: Refine Confidence and Creative Scores as needed.
   - Reflection: "Am I unbiased in my assessment? Which options fit best with the overall objectives?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify hidden opportunities or overlooked details in each hypothesis.

   *2.6 Select the Best Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Choose the most promising, strategic hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Why does this hypothesis stand out? How does it uniquely address the issue?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider any underutilized potential in the selected approach.

   *2.7 Implement the Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Outline actionable steps for testing the hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Is this plan practical? What resources or preparation are required?"
   - Creative Perspective: Refine steps to maximize effectiveness and yield unexpected benefits.

   *2.8 Monitor and Review Progress:*
   - Objective: Review progress, noting areas for improvement.
   - Reflection: "What’s working well? What could be improved?"
   - Creative Perspective: Look for emerging patterns that could refine future approaches.

   *2.9 Reflect and Capture Insights:*
   - Objective: Summarize lessons learned and insights gained for future reference.
   - Reflection: "What new understanding has emerged from this process?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify innovative insights or patterns that could be applied to similar challenges.

3. *Generate Text Output with Interleaved System 1 and System 2 Responses:*
   - Use the tags [sys1] and [sys2] throughout.
   - Aim for a lengthier, detailed response. Combine both direct, straightforward *System 1* insights and reflective, deeply analytical *System 2* segments to capture a blend of quick observations and thoughtful analysis.

---

### *Example Input Text:*

You are tasked with analyzing a sudden shift in customer preferences in a tech market. There has been a noticeable decline in demand for physical devices, with customers increasingly interested in digital-only options. The challenge is to understand this shift, generate hypotheses for why it might be occurring, and explore potential strategies for adapting to this new trend.

---

### *Processed Output with System 1 and System 2 Thinking:*

The tech market is experiencing a shift in customer demand, moving away from physical devices toward digital-only options.

[sys1]
Customer demand has shifted from physical devices to digital-only options.
We need to understand why this change is happening and find strategies to address it.
Key factors may include cost, convenience, and technological trends.
[end sys1]

[sys2]
**2.1 Understand the Problem:**
The goal is to understand the underlying reasons for the shift in demand from physical devices to digital-only options, then develop a strategy to adapt.

*Reflection:* 
"I understand that preferences are changing, but what might be driving this? Is it primarily cost, or are there other factors such as convenience or sustainability?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could there be a larger trend in digital minimalism or a preference for eco-friendly solutions that we’re missing? What unseen motivations might explain this shift?"

**2.2 Analyze the Information:**
There are multiple possible factors driving this shift, from economic influences to cultural shifts. It’s essential to isolate each factor and understand its impact.

*Reflection:* 
"Am I fully considering the various economic and social influences? Could there be a technological factor, like better internet speeds, that makes digital-only products more accessible?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Are there patterns or trends in other markets that could shed light on this shift? Could this be part of a larger trend toward virtual experiences?"

**2.3 Generate Hypotheses:**
1. Customers prefer digital options due to lower costs. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.4)
2. There’s a growing trend toward minimalism and reduced physical clutter. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.7)
3. Digital products offer greater flexibility and ease of use. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
4. Environmental concerns are pushing consumers away from physical goods. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.8)
5. Advances in tech make digital-only options more functional. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.5)
6. Pandemic-era remote work increased demand for digital solutions. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.6)
7. Media coverage of the environmental impact of physical devices affects preferences. (Confidence: 0.5, Creative: 0.7)
8. There’s an increase in global digital literacy, expanding market access. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
9. Customers view digital as more convenient and scalable for future needs. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.5)
10. Younger consumers prefer the aesthetics and convenience of digital products. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)

*Reflection:* 
"Have I considered all possible influences? Are there any surprising factors that could explain this shift?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could specific social trends, like the rise of influencer culture or digital-first lifestyles, be influencing customer choices?"

**2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:**
*Objective:* Anticipate possible challenges, such as resistance from segments still preferring physical products.

*Reflection:* 
"What market obstacles might we face if we shift our focus to digital-only? Are there sub-segments that still prioritize physical products?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could expanding digital options help us reach a more global audience? Are there emerging trends that we could leverage in our strategy?"

[end sys2]

[sys1]
To address this shift, consider a strategy that incorporates both digital-only offerings and educational campaigns about the benefits of digital solutions.
Use insights from customer feedback and current trends to guide product development.
Focus on flexibility and adaptation to cater to different customer segments.
[end sys1]


Q:

Null values in new entities in symfony 3.4 forms without defaults

I have an entity 'administration' which has a field 'firstPeriod'. This field is not nullable (neither in the class definition nor in the database) and nor should it be, as this field should never ever be empty, the application would fail.
However, this field does not have a default value because if an oblivious user would simply submit the form without changing the default value, chaos would ensue. The user must make a conscious choice here. There is validation in place to ensure the field is not empty and within accepted range.
When I try to render the form, the 'propertyAccessor' of the formbuilder component throws this exception:

Type error: Return value of AppBundle\Entity\Administration::getFirstPeriod() must be of the type integer, null returned

It looks like the formbuilder tries to get the value of the field before it is set, which ofcourse leads to said exception.
How can I handle this situation so that the form will render without providing the user with a default value?
To further clarify: Null is not okay, but neither is any default I can provide, the user must make a conscious decision. The same goes for any dev that instantiates this entity directly. It must be provided before the entity is persisted, but I cannot give a default because if the default is left as it is, the application will not function 12 out of 13 times.

If I allow null on the entity field "?int" I'm effectively making a field nullable that should never be null
If I provide a default, the default might be accepted blindly, which would lead to wrong results further on in the application that are very hard to spot for most users.
I've already tried to set the 'empty_data => 0' in the formType, to no avail

sorry for the mess below, the 'Code Sample' does not handle this code well
My (truncated) entity:
namespace AppBundle\Entity;

use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping as ORM;
/**
 * Administration
 *
 * @ORM\Table(name="administration")
 * @ORM\Entity(repositoryClass="AppBundle\Repository\AdministrationRepository")
 */
class Administration
{
    /**
     * @var int
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="id", type="integer")
     * @ORM\Id
     * @ORM\GeneratedValue(strategy="AUTO")
     */
    private $id;
/**
 * @var int
 *
 * @ORM\Column(name="first_period", type="smallint", nullable=false)
 */
private $firstPeriod;

/**
 * Get id.
 *
 * @return int
 */
public function getId()
{
    return $this->id;
}

/**
 * @return int
 */
public function getFirstPeriod(): int
{
    return $this->firstPeriod;
}

/**
 * @param int $firstPeriod
 */
public function setFirstPeriod(int $firstPeriod): void
{
    $this->firstPeriod = $firstPeriod;
}

}
My (truncated) formType (as best as i could get it formatted here):
    public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options)
{
    $builder
        ->add('firstPeriod', null, [
            'label' => 'First period'
        ])
    ;
}

public function configureOptions(OptionsResolver $resolver)
{
    $resolver->setDefaults([
        'data_class' => Administration::class
    ]);
}

public function getBlockPrefix()
{
    return 'app_bundle_administration_type';
}

}
My controller:

namespace AppBundle\Controller\Admin;

class AdministrationController extends Controller
{
    public function editAction(
        EntityManager $em,
        Router $router,
        Security $security,
        Session $session,
        LoggerInterface $logger,
        Request $request,
        Administration $administration = null
    ): Response {

        if ($administration === null) {
            $new = true;
            $administration = new Administration();
            $pageTitle = 'New';
        } else {
            $new = false;
            $pageTitle = 'Edit';
        }
        $breadcrumbs->add($crumbs);

        $form = $this->createForm(AdministrationType::class, $administration);

        $form->handleRequest($request);
        if ($form->isSubmitted() && $form->isValid()) {

            /** @var Administration $administration */
            $administration = $form->getData();

            try {
                $em->persist($administration);
                $em->flush();
            } catch (ORMException $e) {
                $logger->critical($e->getMessage());

                $session->getFlashBag()->add('error', 'Database error.');

                if ($new) {
                    return $this->redirectToRoute('administration_new');
                } else {
                    return $this->redirectToRoute(
                        'administration_edit',
                        ['administration' => $administration->getId()]
                    );
                }
            }

            $session->getFlashBag()->add('success', 'Success!');

            return $this->redirectToRoute('administration_index');
        }

        return $this->render(':Admin/Administration:edit.html.twig', [
            'administrationForm' => $form->createView(),
            'pageTitle' => $pageTitle
        ]);
    }
}

My validation:
AppBundle\Entity\Administration:
properties:
    firstPeriod:
        - NotBlank:
              message: 'adm.firstperiod.empty'
        - Range:
              min: 1
              max: 13
              minMessage: 'adm.firstperiod.too_low'
              maxMessage: 'adm.firstperiod.too_high'

A:

Since symfony form uses property accessor, as @Cerad says, you can add a unmapped field to the form, and get/set the field in form events, adding a specific method for get uninitialized $first_period ...
An example code may be ...
<?php

namespace App\Entity;

use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping as ORM;

/**
 * @ORM\Entity(repositoryClass="App\Repository\AdministrationRepository")
 */ 
class Administration
{ 
    /**
     * @ORM\Id()
     * @ORM\GeneratedValue()   
     * @ORM\Column(type="integer")
     */
    private $id;

    /**
     * @ORM\Column(type="integer")
     */
    private $first_period;

    public function getId(): ?int
    {
        return $this->id;
    }
  
    public function getFirstPeriod(): int
    {
        return $this->first_period;
    }

    public function setFirstPeriod(int $first_period): self
    {
        $this->first_period = $first_period;

        return $this;
    }

    public function getFirstPeriodOrNull(): ?int
    {
        return $this->first_period;
    }
}

Form
<?php

namespace App\Form;

use App\Entity\Administration;
use Symfony\Component\Form\AbstractType;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormBuilderInterface;
use Symfony\Component\OptionsResolver\OptionsResolver;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormEvent;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormEvents;
  
class AdministrationType extends AbstractType
{ 
    public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options)
    {
        $builder
            ->add('first_period', null, [
                'mapped' => false,
                'required' => false,
            ])
            ->addEventListener(FormEvents::PRE_SET_DATA, function(FormEvent $event) {
                /** @var Administration */
                $a = $event->getData();

                $event->getForm()->get('first_period')->setData($a->getFirstPeriodOrNull());
  
            })
            ->addEventListener(FormEvents::POST_SUBMIT, function(FormEvent $event) {
                $f = $event->getForm()->get('first_period')->getData();

                if (is_int($f)) {
                    /** @var Administration */
                    $a = $event->getData();
                    $a->setFirstPeriod($f);
                }
            });
        ;
    }

    public function configureOptions(OptionsResolver $resolver)
    {
        $resolver->setDefaults([
            'data_class' => Administration::class,
        ]);
    }
}

This works fine in Symfony 4.2