LEFT JOIN Association returns unknown column - php

Question

I am using PHPActiveRecord and CodeIgniter. I am trying to create a blog CMS and a blog has many categories and its referring to another table called blogrefs. So basically
blogs => blogrefs => blogcats
blogrefs is referring with blogs through blogrefs.blog_id
blogrefs is referring with blogcats through blogrefs.blogcat_id
function get_blogs($params = array()){
$CI =& get_instance();
$joins = 'LEFT JOIN blogrefs ON blogs.id = blogrefs.blog_id';
$joins .= 'LEFT JOIN blogcats ON blogrefs.blogcat_id = blogcats.id';
$category = (isset($params['category']))?$params['category']:'';
$keyword = (isset($params['keyword']))?$params['keyword']:'';
$status = (!isset($params['status']) || $params['status'] == '')?'':$params['status'];
$order_by = (isset($params['order_by']))?$params['order_by']:'created_on';
$direction = (isset($params['direction']))?$params['direction']:'DESC';
$limit = (isset($params['limit']))?$params['limit']:'';
$offset = (isset($params['offset']))?$params['offset']:'';
$st = '';
if($status == ''){
$st = '!';
}
if(!empty($category))
{
$conditions = array(
"((blogcats.id = ?) OR (blogcats.parent_id = ?))
AND blogs.status $st= ?
AND (blogs.title LIKE '%$keyword%' OR blogs.content LIKE '%$keyword%')",$category,$category,$status
);
}else{
$conditions = array(
"blogs.status $st= ?
AND (blogs.title LIKE '%$keyword%' OR blogs.content LIKE '%$keyword%')",$status
);
}
$result = Blog::find('all',array(
'include' => array('blogcat','blogref','user'),
'joins' => $joins,
'conditions' => $conditions,
'limit' => $limit,
'offset' => $offset,
'order' => "$order_by $direction",
'group' => 'blogs.id'
));
$count = Blog::find('all',array(
'conditions' => $conditions
));
$object = new stdClass;
$object->posts = $result;
$object->total = count($count);
return $object;
}
Everything works not only if i use
((blogcats.id = ?) OR (blogcats.parent_id = ?))
To get blogs from specific category. Any answers will be very much appreciated.

Answer 1

I don't find this very clear. Why not use a model and CI's Active Record Class? (http://ellislab.com/codeigniter/user-guide/database/active_record.html), like
$this->db->where('blogrefs.blogcat_id', $catid);
$this->db->join('blogrefs', 'blogs.id = blogrefs.blog_id');
...

Answer 2

Your error is a missing space at the end of where you define the first part of your join.
$joins = 'LEFT JOIN blogrefs ON blogs.id = blogrefs.blog_id';
$joins .= 'LEFT JOIN blogcats ON blogrefs.blogcat_id = blogcats.id';
evaluates to:
LEFT JOIN blogrefs ON blogs.id = blogrefs.blog_idLEFT JOIN blogcats ON blogrefs.blogcat_id = blogcats.id
You'll notice that the first join is screwed up by looking for a column named 'blog_idLEFT' and that the second JOIN will now be an inner join, not an outer left join.
I'd recommend either going with davedriesmans's suggestion, or finding someway to output the final mySQL queries you are generating. (Or both)