cakephp call a function of another model error - cakephp

Question

I have a site develop in cakephp 2.x
I want into my controller call a function of another controller like this:
class ProductsController extends AppController {
public $name = 'Products';
public $scaffold;
public $uses = array('Product','Unit');
public function testFunction(){
$this->loadModel('Unit');
$this->Unit->test();
}
}
The function test into UintController.php is this:
public function test(){
echo("test");
}
My model name are Product and Unit.
When I call the function test give me this error:
Error: SQLSTATE[42000]: Syntax error or access violation: 1064 You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'prova' at line 1
In the function now is empty but give me this error.
I have tried with:
public $uses = array('Unit');
and to cancel the line with $uses.
How can I solve it?

Answer 1

To call a function from another controller you can use the requestAction:
Definition
"This function calls a controller’s action from any location and returns data from the action. The $url passed is a CakePHP-relative URL (/controllername/actionname/params). To pass extra data to the receiving controller action add to the $options array".
Usage
This is what your code would looks like:
class ProductsController extends AppController
{
public $name = 'Products';
public $scaffold;
public $uses = array('Product','Unit');
public function testFunction() {
// Calls the action from another controller
echo $this->requestAction('/unit/test');
}
}
And then in the UnitController:
class UnitController extends AppController
{
public function test()
{
return 'Hello, I came from another controller.';
}
}
Warning
As said in the CakePHP Cookbook:
"If used without caching requestAction can lead to poor performance. It is rarely appropriate to use in a controller or model".
Best solution for you
But, the best solution for you, would be to create a function inside a model and then call from your controller, like this:
class ProductsController extends AppController {
public $name = 'Products';
public $scaffold;
public $uses = array('Product','Unit');
public function testFunction() {
echo $this->Unit->test();
}
}
And in the Unit model:
class Unit extends AppModel
{
public function test(){
return 'Hello, I came from a model!';
}
}