# Concat with ifnull

**URL:** <https://discourse.cakephp.org/t/concat-with-ifnull/4566>\
**Category:** Need Help\
**Created:** [July 12, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cakephp.org/t/concat-with-ifnull/4566 "2018-07-12T15:41:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bichomen](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.cakephp.org/bichomen/32/1070_2.png) [@bichomen](https://discourse.cakephp.org/u/bichomen)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cakephp.org/t/concat-with-ifnull/4566/1 "2018-07-12T15:41:14Z")

</div>

How do I make Cakephp to concatenate 2 last names? Depending on whether you have a last name, two last names or no last name, I have tried this without success

```
$apellidos = $personas->func()->concat([
                  'if(Personas.primer_apellido is null, '', concat(Personas.primer_apellido,' ')' => 'identifier',
                  'if(Personas.segundo_apellido is null, '', concat(' ',Personas.primer_apellido)' => 'identifier']);

```

possible results:

```
$apellidos = primer_apellido segundo_apellido;
$apellidos = primer_apellido;
$apellidos = segundo_apellido;
$apellidos = null;
```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Diego](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.cakephp.org/diego/32/296_2.png) [@Diego](https://discourse.cakephp.org/u/Diego)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://discourse.cakephp.org/t/concat-with-ifnull/4566/2 "2018-07-12T16:52:35Z")

</div>

Use virtual field:  
[https://book.cakephp.org/3.0/en/orm/entities.html#creating-virtual-properties](https://book.cakephp.org/3.0/en/orm/entities.html#creating-virtual-properties)