Join In CakePHP

There are two main ways that you can do this. One of them is the standard CakePHP way, and the other is using a custom join.

The CakePHP Way

You would create a relationship with your User model and Messages Model, and use the containable behavior:

class User extends AppModel {

    public $actsAs = array('Containable');

    public $hasMany = array('Message');

}

class Message extends AppModel {

    public $actsAs = array('Containable');

    public $belongsTo = array('User');

}

You need to change the messages.from column to be messages.user_id so that cake can automagically associate the records for you.

Then you can do this from the messages controller:

$this->Message->find('all', array(

    'contain' => array('User')

    'conditions' => array(

        'Message.to' => 4

    ),

    'order' => 'Message.datetime DESC'

));

The (other) CakePHP way

I recommend using the first method, because it will save you a lot of time and work. The first method also does the groundwork of setting up a relationship which can be used for any number of other find calls and conditions besides the one you need now. However, cakePHP does support a syntax for defining your own joins. It would be done like this, from the MessagesController:

$this->Message->find('all', array(

    'joins' => array(

        array(

            'table' => 'users',

            'alias' => 'UserJoin',

            'type' => 'INNER',

            'conditions' => array(

                'UserJoin.id = Message.from'

            )

        )

    ),

    'conditions' => array(

        'Message.to' => 4

    ),

    'fields' => array('UserJoin.*', 'Message.*'),

    'order' => 'Message.datetime DESC'

));

Note, I've left the field name messages.from the same as your current table in this example.

Using two relationships to the same model

Here is how you can do the first example using two relationships to the same model:

class User extends AppModel {

    public $actsAs = array('Containable');

    public $hasMany = array(

        'MessagesSent' => array(

            'className'  => 'Message',

            'foreignKey' => 'from'

         )

    );

    public $belongsTo = array(

        'MessagesReceived' => array(

            'className'  => 'Message',

            'foreignKey' => 'to'

         )

    );

}

class Message extends AppModel {

    public $actsAs = array('Containable');

    public $belongsTo = array(

        'UserFrom' => array(

            'className'  => 'User',

            'foreignKey' => 'from'

        )

    );

    public $hasMany = array(

        'UserTo' => array(

            'className'  => 'User',

            'foreignKey' => 'to'

        )

    );

}

Now you can do your find call like this:

$this->Message->find('all', array(

    'contain' => array('UserFrom')

    'conditions' => array(

        'Message.to' => 4

    ),

    'order' => 'Message.datetime DESC'

));