How to debug when CakePHP Model::save() doesn't attempt an INSERT

Question

I am having a bear of a time saving the simplest record from a model called ItemView:

if($this->save($this->data)) {
  echo \'worked\';
} else {
  echo         


        

Answer 1

Wow, two miserable hours of my life wasted.

Remember that your beforeSave() must return true!

Answer 2

may be something like this

$this->Model->set($this->data);

$errors = $this->Model->validate();// or perhaps validationError(), please confirm

if(!$errors) {
   $this->Model->save();
}else{
   //show errors
   pr($errors);

}