[FIXED] CakePHP: Use foreign key to display related data in view

Issue

I'm new to CakePHP (using version 3). I completed Cake's blog tutorial and have been experimenting with some customizations. One that has me stumped is adding a Category column to the Articles table. I can add the category ID, but I'd prefer the category name.

I set up a "belongs to" relationship in the Articles model:

class ArticlesTable extends Table

{

public function initialize(array $config)
{
    parent::initialize($config);
    $this->table('articles');
    $this->displayField('title');
    $this->primaryKey('id');
    $this->addBehavior('Timestamp');
    $this->belongsTo('Categories', [
        'foreignKey' => 'category_id',
    ]);
}

I also used the set() method for categories in the Articles controller:

    public function index()
{
    $articles = $this->paginate($this->Articles);
    $this->set(compact('articles'));
    $this->set('_serialize', ['articles']);
    $this->set(compact('categories'));
}

Here's what I have in my Articles index view:

<?php foreach ($articles as $article): ?>
        <tr>
            <td>
                <?= $article->category_id ?>
            </td>
            <td>...

I tried replacing "$article->category_id" with a few different things, but have had no success. My best guess was the following:

$article['Categories']['id']

That just leaves an empty column, though. What am I doing wrong?

P.S. I found a similar (but unanswered) question here:

How to find field through foreign key in cakephp3.x.x?

Solution

Model/Table/ArticlesTable.php

class ArticlesTable extends Table
{
    public function initialize(array $config)
    {
        ...
        $this->belongsTo('Categories', [
            'foreignKey' => 'category_id',
        ]);
        ...
    }
    ...
}

Model/Table/CategoriesTable.php

class CategoriesTable extends Table
{
    public function initialize(array $config)
    {
        ...
        $this->hasMany('Articles', [
            'foreignKey' => 'category_id',
        ]);
        ...
    }
    ...
}

Controller/ArticlesController.php

public function index()
{
    $this->paginate = [
        'contain' => ['Categories']
    ];

    $articles = $this->paginate($this->Articles);

    $this->set(compact('articles'));
    $this->set('_serialize', ['articles']);
}

Template/Articles/index.ctp

<?php foreach ($articles as $article): ?>
    <tr>
        <td>
            <?= $article->category->name ?>
        </td>
     <td>
<?php endforeach; ?>

Here you can read more about Associations

Answered By - Jacek B Budzynski