find

The find() method is the all-purpose method for retrieving data from a model. It takes a single argument, an associative array of options for the find. Here's an example that shows the available options (it isn't a practical example, though):

<?php
// controllers/events_controller.php
class EventsController extends MvcPublicController {
  
  public function index() {
    $objects = $this->Event->find(array(
      'joins' => array('Venue'),
      'includes' => array('Venue'),
      'selects' => array('Venue.id', 'Venue.name', 'Event.date', 'Event.active'),
      'additional_selects' => array('Event.date'),
      'conditions' => array(
        'Event.active' => 1,
        'Event.date >=' => date('Y-m-d'),
        'Venue.id' => array(56, 83) // Venue.id IN (56, 83)
      ),
      'group' => 'Event.id',
      'order' => 'Event.date DESC',
      'page' => 1
      'per_page' => 20
    ));
    $this->set('objects', $objects);
  }
  
}
?>

joins

An array of associated models that will be included as joins in the query and in the results.

includes

An array of associated models that will be added to the object via additional SELECT queries after the initial SELECT query has been made. These can't be referenced in conditions, but unlike joins, has_many and has_and_belongs_to many associations can be safely used here.

selects

An array of columns that will be selected in the query. This will replace the default selected fields that are defined in the model.

additional_selects

An array of columns that will be merged with the default selected fields that are defined in the model; all of the columns in the resulting merged array will be selected in the query.

conditions

An array of conditions for the WHERE part of the query. Conditions are joined with an AND by default, but OR conditions can be done like this:

<?php
// Find all Events that are active or are happening on or after today
$objects = $this->Event->find(array(
  'conditions' => array(
    'OR' => array(
      'Event.active' => 1,
      'Event.date >=' => date('Y-m-d'),
    )
  )
);
?>

To group conditions together, use an 'AND' or 'OR' in the same way that the 'OR' above is used.

group

A string specifying the value for a GROUP BY clause.

order

A string specifying the value for an ORDER clause.

page

An integer specifying which page of results should be returned. The number of results per page defaults to the per_page property of the model, but can be overwritten with a per_page key in the find options.

per_page

An integer specifying the number of results per page. This is only relevant when the page option is also set.