SQL Join and Json encode joomla 2.5 - php

Question

Okay ill be honest im a little bit lost here, Im creating a component for joomla 2.5 and have two tables in the database, "managers" and another called "Branches". Im trying to join managers with branches.
I wish i could be more precise with my problem but i honestly dont understand it, heres my model file that calls to the database:
<?php
defined( '_JEXEC' ) or die;
jimport('joomla.application.component.model');
class LocateModelBranches extends JModel
{
public function getItem()
{
$branch_id = JRequest::getInt('id');
$row = JTable::getInstance('branches', 'LocateTable');
$row->load($branch_id);
return $row;
}
public function getBranches()
{
$branch_id = JRequest::getInt('id');
$db = $this->getDbo();
$query = $db->getQuery(true);
$query->select('*');
$query->from('#__branches');
$query->join('LEFT', '#__managers AS a USING(manager_id)');
$query->where("published = 1");
$db->setQuery($query);
$rows = $db->loadObjectList();
return $rows;
}
}
then my view.json.php file:
<?php
defined( '_JEXEC' ) or die;
jimport( 'joomla.application.component.view');
class LocateViewBranches extends JView
{
public function display($tpl = null)
{
$branch = $this->get('Branches');
$response = array();
foreach ($branch as $row) {
$response[] = array(
'lat' => $row->branch_latitude,
'lng' => $row->branch_longitude,
'data' => array(
'name' => $row->branch_name,
'address' => $row->branch_address,
'fax' => $row->branch_fax,
'email' => $row->branch_email,
'city' => $row->branch_city,
'telephone' => $row->branch_telephone,
'id' => $row->branch_id,
'lati' => $row->branch_latitude,
'lngi' => $row->branch_longitude,
'manager_id' => $row->manager_id,
),
);
}
echo json_encode($response);
}
}
then i get a response of:
[]
if i remove "$query->join('LEFT', '#__managers AS a USING(manager_id)');" my response then is (which is what i want along with the managers details :
[{"lat":"-33.9249","lng":"18.4241","data":{"name":"test 2","address":"greenpoint, Cape Town","fax":"044 382 0605","email":"test","city":"blah","telephone":"044 382 0605","id":"2","lati":"-33.9249","lngi":"18.4241"}},{"lat":"-34.0438","lng":"23.0759","data":{"name":"jam factory","address":"15 meeu street knysna","fax":"00000000","email":"00000000","city":"am factory","telephone":"0000000","id":"14","lati":"-34.0438","lngi":"23.0759"}}]
Im sure its just a problem with my view.json.php
also if i change from json_encode to print_r and keep "$query->join('LEFT', '#__managers AS a USING(manager_id)');" i get a response of:
Array
(
)
1
so surely its just the way im outputting the data

Answer 1

Easy as:
public function getBranches()
{
$branch_id = JRequest::getInt('id');
$db = $this->getDbo();
$query = $db->getQuery(true);
$query->select('*, a.manager_name,manager_mobile');
$query->from('#__branches AS t')
->join('LEFT', '#__managers AS a USING(manager_id)')
->where('t.published = 1');
$db->setQuery($query);
$rows = $db->loadObjectList();
return $rows;
}
Thanks For everyone's input. :)