Access Foreign Tables CakePHP - php

Question

I am sorry if the title is a bit confusing, I just don't know how this is properly called. I have a table structure like this for my CakePHP project.
users id, name, surname, userrecords
userrecords id, user_id, records_id
records id, description
I understand that to access the userrecords middle table in my users view I have to do something like
$user['userrecords']['id'];
How can I neatly access description in records table through a users view?

Answer 1

You didn't specify whether you're using CakePHP 2.x or 3.x, so I provided solutions for both.
The relationship you are referring to is called a "Has And Belongs To Many" relationship. Since both of your model are associated to a linking table (userrecords), you can freely associate as many records to as many users as you want.
First, I would consider renaming your 'userrecords' table to 'users_records' to play nicely with CakePHP.
First, define your relationship within your Users model:
// Using CakePHP 2.x:
class User extends AppModel {
public $actsAs = array('Containable'); // Instantiate Containable behavior
public $hasAndBelongsToMany = array(
'Record' =>
array(
'className' => 'Record',
'joinTable' => 'users_records',
'foreignKey' => 'user_id',
'associationForeignKey' => 'record_id'
)
);
}
// Using CakePHP 3.x:
class UsersTable extends Table
{
public function initialize (array $config)
{
$this->belongsToMany('Records', [
'joinTable' => 'users_records' // Defines our linking table
]);
}
}
Now, we must define our relationship within our Records model:
// Using CakePHP 2.x:
class Record extends AppModel {
public $actsAs = array('Containable'); // Instantiate Containable behavior
public $hasAndBelongsToMany = array(
'User' =>
array(
'className' => 'User',
'joinTable' => 'users_records',
'foreignKey' => 'record_id',
'associationForeignKey' => 'user_id'
)
);
}
// Using CakePHP 3.x:
class RecordsTable extends Table
{
public function initialize (array $config)
{
$this->belongsToMany('Users', [
'joinTable' => 'users_records' // Defines our linking table
]);
}
}
Now, we can access the associated records freely from each model using the ORM's contain method:
// Using CakePHP 2.x:
// Getting 'User' and associated 'Record' models in Controller:
$this->loadModel('User');
$this->User->find('all', array('contain' => 'Record'));
// Getting 'Record' and associated 'User' models in Controller:
$this->loadModel('Record');
$this->Record->find('all', array('contain' => 'User'));
// Using CakePHP 3.x:
// Getting 'User' and associated 'Record' models:
$users_table = TableRegistry::get('Users');
$users = $users_table->find()->contain('Records')->all();
// Getting 'Record' and associated 'User' models:
$records_table = TableRegistry::get('Records');
$records = $records_table->find()->contain('Users')->all();
Read the Cookbook, it will make your life a million times easier:
CakePHP 2.x Containable Behavior
CakePHP 2.x Has And Belongs To Many Relationship
CakePHP 3.x belongsToMany Relationship
CakePHP 3.x Retrieving Associated Data
CakePHP 3.x Eager Loading Associations

Answer 2

Read this,this may be helpful for you
http://book.cakephp.org/2.0/en/models/associations-linking-models-together.html

Answer 3

Because your table structure as below :
User -> UserRecord -> Record
So that you can only get [Record] via [UserRecord]
You should set recursive property in find command.
Please refer for more information about recursive at this link : what is the meaning of recursive in cakephp?
I hope this answer doesn't misunderstand your question.