CakePHP Paginate 2 models into 1 set of results - php

Question

It feels like I've tried everything. I'm building a newsfeed of sorts from 2 data tables 'Spec' and 'Update'. Here is the CakePHP code.
// Setup pagination
$this->paginate = array(
'Spec' => array(
'fields' => array(
'Spec.id',
'Spec.name'
),
'limit' => 10,
'conditions' => array(
'Spec.car_id' => $id
),
'order' => array(
'Spec.created' => $orderSetting
)
),
'Update' => array(
'fields' => array(
'Update.id',
'Update.name'
),
'limit' => 10,
'conditions' => array(
'Update.car_id' => $id
),
'order' => array(
'Update.created' => $orderSetting
)
)
);
$updates = $this->paginate(array('Spec', 'Update'));
This is returning an SQL error.
SQL Error: 1064: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'Update' at line 1
The problem is this line - it only allows for one item?
$updates = $this->paginate(array('Spec', 'Update'));
eg.
$updates = $this->paginate('Spec');
Which, of course, isn't what I'm looking for.
Any help or direction much appreciated.

Answer 1

The paginate() function does not allow multiple Models as a parameter, as it is really only a proxy to the find() function (see docs). Your second parameter ('Update') will be treated as a condition for the find() call - which results in the SQL error.
You will need to create a find() call on one model, that returns all the data you want. You can include data from the other model using model relations and possibly the ContainableBehavior.
Another way would be two different find() operations and manually combining the results. But the you would also have to handle the pagination manually.