cakephp join and mysql join - php

Question

UPDATED!
i am relativly new in cakephp but having experience with mysql and php.
The model look like:
Person->Father
Father is self refered to person.
I wrote the following based on mysql query which gives back the father of "1" person
mysql:
SELECT `Father`.name,`Father`.id from persons as `Father` left join persons as `Person` on `Person`.`father_id`=`Father`.`id` where `Person`.id=1
cakephp
$options = array(
'fields' => array(
//'Father.name',
'Father.id',
),
'joins' => array(
array(
'conditions' => array(
'Person.father_id = Father.id',
),
'table' => 'persons',
// 'alias' => 'Person', i commented because having conflict with scaffolded model
'type' => 'left',
),
),
'conditions' => array(
'Person.id' => '1',
),
'contain' => array(
'Person','Father',
),
);
$data = $this->Person->find('first', $options);
$fatherquery=$this->Person->find('first',array('conditions'=>array('Person.id'=>$data['Father']['id'])));
To get the same as mysql i have add this extra line(the last one $father=....,but now it seems subquery and look like the join isn't working) because of Father and Person are not the same model and if i have
$data['Father']['name'] and $data['Person']['name'] they are not equal
By the way i have a solution already,but maybe i misunderstand some concept.
Is there a way the get the mysql query easier?

Answer 1

Try this. (Notice the lack of a contain. The only reason to use contain is if you're not already getting the data in the main-model's find() or a join):
//Person model (cake 2.x code)
$this->find('first', array(
'fields' => array(
'Father.id',
'Father.name'
),
'conditions' => array(
'Person.id' => 1
),
'joins' => array(
array(
'table' => 'persons',
'alias' => 'Father',
'type' => 'left',
'conditions' => array(
'Person.father_id = Father.id'
)
)
)
));