User Login in CakePHP - cakephp

Question

I am using CakePHP 2.3.6. I have several plugins in a project. I want to implement the login system in the UsersController. For that, I have this code in my AppController :
public $components=array('Session','Auth');
public function beforeFilter(){
if($this->Auth->user('role')=='admin'){
$this->Auth->loginRedirect(array('plugin'=>'admins_panel','controller'=>'admins','action'=>'index'));
$this->Auth->logoutRedirect(array('plugin'=>'admins_panel','controller'=>'admins','action'=>'index'));
}
}
So, it means, it'll redirect me to the Admin Panel plugin after I login. In my Users controller :
public $components=array('Auth');
public function beforeFilter(){
parent::beforeFilter();
$this->Auth->allow();
}
public function login(){
if($this->request->is('post')){
if($this->Auth->login()){
$this->Session->setFlash('Welcome '.AuthComponent::user('name'));
$this->redirect($this->Auth->redirectUrl());
}else{
$this->Session->setFlash('Invalid username or password, please try again');
$this->set('title_for_layout','Error - Login');
}
}else
$this->set('title_for_layout','Login');
}
In the User model :
public $validate=array(
'email'=>array(
'rule'=>'isUnique',
'message'=>'This email address has already been taken. Use another one.'
),
'username'=>array(
'rule'=>'isUnique',
'message'=>'This username has already been taken.'
)
);
public function beforeSave($options=array()){
if(isset($this->data[$this->alias]['password']))
$this->data[$this->alias]['password']=AuthComponent::password($this->data[$this->alias]['password']);
return true;
}
My View file is :
<?php echo $this->Form->create('User');?>
echo $this->Form->input('username',array('type'=>'email'));?>
echo $this->Form->input('password',array('type'=>'password'));?>
echo $this->Form->submit('Login');
echo $this->Form->end();
?>
So, I thought it'd work, but its not working. When I try to login, it says "Invalid username or password, please try again.", as I set in the "login" function.
So, what should do here ? Please help me.
Thanks

Answer 1

Define authentication fields in your auth component:
public $Components = array(
'Session',
'Auth' => array(
'authenticate' => array(
'Form' => array(
'fields' => array('username' => 'username', 'password' => 'password'),
)
)
)
)
If you want to use the email for your authentication then use:
'fields' => array('username' => 'email', 'password' => 'password')