CakePHP Update ACL

Let's say we have created new controller(s). For authentication and security purposes, we will need to update the acl. If we are lazy to go through the bake cake console, we can try the following steps:

1. In initDb() function under controllers/acls_controller.php, defined the user groups properly. (the actions allowed/denied for each user group) Save the file.
2. Comment all functions/variables besides the Auth-related, in app/app_controller.php. (To make sure that initDb() will be executed).
3. In the web browser, type the url and launch it:
{address}/acls/initdb
4. Uncomment functions/variables in app/app_controller.php, if they were commented just now.

CakePHP - Parse Data From Controller To View

Let's say $a = '123', in index() in users_controller.
If we want to use the $a in users/index, we can use set() and compact():

$this->set(compact('a'));

*set() : Send data from controller to view.
**compact() : Creates an array containing variables and their values.
***Note that we need to remove the dollar($) sign when using compact().

Reference:
1. Stupid CakePHP Controller Tricks
2. Interacting with Views

CakePHP Trap: findAllBy() and find('all', ...)

I have a variable $productId. Comparing these two functions:


1. $pricelists = $this->PricesProduct->find('all',array('conditions'=>array('PricesProduct.id'=>$productId)));
$pricelists = $this->paginate('PricesProduct',$pricelists);


2. $pricelists = $this->PricesProduct->findAllByProductId($productId);
$pricelists = $this->paginate('PricesProduct',$pricelists);






If $productId = 1, the 2nd function will generate error but not for the 1st function.

Warning (512): SQL Error: 1054: Unknown column 'PricesProduct' in 'where clause' [CORE/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo_source.php, line 684] 

Warning (2): Invalid argument supplied for foreach() [APP/views/...] 

Why?
I dont know the reason, but from the logs, two similar functions generated different sql codes:






For the 1st function:
1.  SELECT ... WHERE `PricesProduct`.`id` = 1,
which then generate normal sql code:
SELECT COUNT(*) AS ...  WHERE 1 = 1


For the 2nd function:
1. SELECT ... WHERE `PricesProduct`.`product_id` = 1,
which then generate the following problematic sql code:
SELECT COUNT(*) AS ... WHERE ((PricesProduct IN ('28', '1', '13' .....






I guess that findAllBy() is unable to generate a key for the find result, causing all data to be fed into the coming functions.


Therefore, it is advised to avoid using findAllBy() although it may have saved some programming time, yet it increase the risk of having to waste more time on debugging.
 
Sorry, it's my mistake that i myself is confused with two different functions that cause different result.
So, there is currently no trap in cakephp!

CakePHP Login Redirection

Let's said we want page to be redirected to Reservation index page after a User's login to the website, we can therefore create the login redirection in the beforeFilter() function in UsersController:
 

$this->Auth->loginRedirect = array('controller'=>'reservations', 'action'=>'index');

 

And, i really need to shout at CakePHP for having such a lousy documentation.

CakePHP Drop Down List - Same value for 'keys' and 'values'

By default, when we use the form helper to generate a [select] drop down list, the [value] of each [option] is the [id] of the particular table. However, we sometimes need to have [value] which is the same as the content of the [option], therefore we will need to use array_combine() function.

We can do in such a way:

 $array1=array_combine($array1, $array1)

$array1 is an array of data. The first parameter will go to be the [key] of the new array and the second parameter will go to be the [value] of the new array, thus making both the [key] and the [value] of the new array having the same value.

Let's said :
$array1(
[1] => a
[3] => b
[4] => c
)

After using the array_combine() function, the $array1 becomes:
$array1(
[a] => a
[b] => b
[c] => c
)

Reference:
1. FormHelper - Setting Option Value in Select Dropdown
2. php.net - array-combine