DataMapper ORM v1.8.0

[eluser]Chillahan[/eluser]
I set up a test controller to save some properties to an object with one supporting table. I noticed two things, which may or may not be related. When I try to save the same data again, without specifying an id, but having the validation rule "unique" on one of the fields, I get the following error:

Code:

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Notice

Message: Undefined property: stdClass::$id

Filename: libraries/datamapper.php

Line Number: 5560

This relates to the function that performs the "unique" validation:

Code:

protected function _unique($field)
    {
        if ( ! empty($this->{$field}))
        {
            $query = $this->db->get_where($this->table, array($field => $this->{$field}), 1, 0);

            if ($query->num_rows() > 0)
            {
                $row = $query->row();

                // If unique value does not belong to this object
                if ($this->id != $row->id) // *** Line 5560 ***
                {
                    // Then it is not unique
                    return FALSE;
                }
            }
        }

        // No matches found so is unique
        r

Here's the odd part - it still inserts the new record! I am not using a transaction - wouldn't save run the validation first, and then insert upon success (and thus should never reach the insert since it bails at line 5560 above, without returning)?

Here's the complicating factor - the test table has a non-standard ID field name (i.e., it is auto increment numeric, but it is called "User_Id", not "id", due to design requirements of client).

So here are my questions and points:

1. Why is it still adding the record, even though it bailed (is this normal)?

2. How can I set DM to use a non-standard id field? I feel I read how to set this somewhere in the past few days while browsing, but after searching for 20 minutes in the guide, forums, even the old forums, I don't see what I thought I saw. And beyond that, it seems to be hard-coded anyway in the unique function above, is that right? (unless the object's parameter "id" can be dynamically set from wherever it is loaded, assuming there is a place to use a non-standard id field name)

3. Not directly related - for transactions, assuming I want to bunch a group of operations, there's no way to enable auto transactions but still group for the places where it's more than one save operation occurring to fulfill the transaction, right? I'd have to manually code for transactions throughout?

Thanks...