Two ways to join tables the Cakephp way

Two ways to join tables the Cakephp way

cakephp join tables

Two ways to join tables the Cakephp way

There are two ways to join tables in Cakephp.

First

You would create a relationship with your User model and Messages Model, and use the containable behavior:

class User extends AppModel {
    public $actsAs = array('Containable');
    public $hasMany = array('Message');
}

class Message extends AppModel {
    public $actsAs = array('Containable');
    public $belongsTo = array('User');
}

You need to change the messages.from column to be messages.user_id so that cake can automagically associate the records for you.

Then you can do this from the messages controller:

$this->Message->find('all', array(
    'contain' => array('User')
    'conditions' => array(
        'Message.to' => 4
    ),
    'order' => 'Message.datetime DESC'
));

The Second way

I recommend using the first method, because it will save you a lot of time and work. The first method also does the groundwork of setting up a relationship which can be used for any number of other find calls and conditions besides the one you need now. However, cakePHP does support a syntax for defining your own joins. It would be done like this, from the MessagesController:

$this->Message->find('all', array(
    'joins' => array(
        array(
            'table' => 'users',
            'alias' => 'UserJoin',
            'type' => 'INNER',
            'conditions' => array(
                'UserJoin.id = Message.from'
            )
        )
    ),
    'conditions' => array(
        'Message.to' => 4
    ),
    'fields' => array('UserJoin.*', 'Message.*'),
    'order' => 'Message.datetime DESC'
));

Published: 1st June 2016 by

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Two ways to join tables the Cakephp way