Yii framework: Using data from related Active Record models for searching

Question

Yii 1.1 application development Cookbook explain a method for using data from related Active Record Models for searching the related models as well. This method is explained

Answer 1

It looks like both the user and order have columns named id. And your criteria uses them both in the WHERE clause, which is giving the "ambiguous" mySql error message.

When using with criteria (which does a SQL JOIN of the tables), if two of your tables have columns with the same name you need to use the mySql "dot" prefix on conditions, like so:

$criteria->compare('t.id',$this->id); // the default table prefix in Yii is "t"

When I JOIN a table using $criteria->with I prefix all of the column names (in my compare and condition criteria, etc)., like so:

$criteria->compare('t.id',$this->id); // t
$criteria->compare('t.order_create_date',$this->order_create_date,true); // t
$criteria->with = array('user');
$criteria->compare('user.name',$this->user_id,true); // user (the filter will set user_id)

Your gridview will need to look like this:

array(
  'name'=>'user_id',
  'header'=>'User',
  'sortable'=>false,
  'value'=>'$data->user->name'
),

Also, I think there is a larger problem, as you point out with your edit:

Your search function is set up like this: user.name',$this->user - but $this->user is going to return the current user object via the relation, not the search criteria. The column filter will set the user_id, property.

EDIT: Nope, you can $this->user as your column name so long as you set it as a safe attribute.

The way I am getting around this is shown in more detail here:

Search in BELONGS_TO model column with CGridView, Yii

Sorting will not work with that though - just the filtering.

Here is good post in the Yii forum that might give you more clues, too:

http://www.yiiframework.com/forum/index.php?/topic/9083-search-filter-of-a-relations-field-through-cgridview/

Sadly, sorting and filter CGridViews on relations is not really default functionality. YOu can easily display related info with a column name like user.name, but it won't sort or filter. Good luck!