cakephp find list - cakephp

Question

Hi I want to be able to generate a list using find so that I can use in select helper. but there is a problem. i want too fetch id,name(first + last). so how can I achieve it. I want first_name and last_name to be joined as name . How can I achieve it.
$this->User->find('all',array('fields' => array('first_name','last_name','id')));
I can't use model filters and callback Please suggest me how can I do it in controllers itself.

Answer 1

I think this can be done using the virtualFields and displayField properties in your model.
In your model, define a virtual field for the full name like this:
public $virtualFields = array(
'full_name' => 'CONCAT(User.first_name, " ", User.last_name)'
);
If you now set displayField to full_name you should be able to get a list of your users with the $this->User->find('list') method which you can use without problems with the Form-helper.
public $displayField = 'full_name';
... or:
public $displayField = 'User.full_name';
The id is fetched automatically.

Answer 2

Another solution is to use Cake's Set::combine to build what you need...
$users = $this->User->find('all',array('fields' => array('first_name','last_name','id')));
$user_list = Set::combine($users, '{n}.User.id', array('{0} {1}', '{n}.User.first_name', '{n}.User.last_name'));
Result will look something like:
array(
[2] => 'First Last',
[5] => 'Bob Jones'
)
Here's the documentation link:
http://book.cakephp.org/2.0/en/core-utility-libraries/set.html#Set::combine

Answer 3

To achieve this first go to the model and add this line
public $virtualFields = array('full_name' => 'CONCAT(first_name, " ", last_name)');
and then go to controller file just use the name "full_name" which you put in virtual fields
$this->User->find('all',array('fields' => array('full_name','id')));
It returns name with combined fields

Answer 4

+1 on Tim's answer, however, if you need an alternative, teknoid wrote a nice article about this a long time ago:
http://nuts-and-bolts-of-cakephp.com/2008/09/04/findlist-with-three-or-combined-fields/

Answer 5

In my case, Set::combine was the way to go, since I had to deal with concatenation of fields in associated models, like:
$bancos_enteros = $this->Financiacion->Banco->find('all', array(
'fields' => array('Empresa.codigo_contable','Empresa.nombre_corto', 'Banco.id'),
'order' => array('Empresa.codigo_contable' => 'asc'),
'recursive' => 1
));
$bancos = Set::combine(
$bancos_enteros,
'{n}.Banco.id',
array(
'{0} {1}',
'{n}.Empresa.codigo_contable',
'{n}.Empresa.nombre_corto'
)
);
returning
array(
(int) 14 => '57200002 Caixa',
(int) 15 => '57200003 Sabadell',
(int) 3 => '57200005 BBVA',
(int) 16 => '57200006 Deutsche Bank',
(int) 17 => '57200007 Popular',
(int) 18 => '57200009 March',
(int) 26 => '57200010 Bankinter',
(int) 4 => '57200011 Santander'
)
While
$this->Financiacion->Banco->Empresa->virtualFields = array(
'codigo_nombre' => 'CONCAT(Empresa.codigo_contable,Empresa.nombre_corto)'
);
$this->Financiacion->Banco->virtualFields['codigo_nombre'] = $this->Financiacion->Banco->Empresa->virtualFields['codigo_nombre'];
$bancos = $this->Financiacion->Banco->find('list', array(
'fields' => array('Banco.id','Banco.codigo_nombre'),
'order' => array('Banco.codigo_nombre' => 'asc'),
'recursive' => 1
)
);
returns a SQL error in a following query if I don't delete the virtual fields first:
unset($this->Financiacion->Banco->Empresa->virtualFields);
unset($this->Financiacion->Banco->virtualFields);