lithium\data\source\Database::fields PHP Method

    public function fields($fields, $context)
    {
        $type = $context->type();
        $schema = $context->schema()->fields();
        $alias = $context->alias();
        if (!is_array($fields)) {
            return $this->_fieldsReturn($type, $context, $fields, $schema);
        }
        $context->applyStrategy($this);
        $fields = $this->_fields($fields ?: $context->fields(), $context);
        $context->map($this->_schema($context, $fields));
        $toMerge = array();
        if (isset($fields[0])) {
            foreach ($fields[0] as $val) {
                $toMerge[] = is_object($val) && isset($val->scalar) ? $val->scalar : $val;
            }
            unset($fields[0]);
        }
        $fields = isset($fields[$alias]) ? array($alias => $fields[$alias]) + $fields : $fields;
        foreach ($fields as $field => $value) {
            if (is_array($value)) {
                if (isset($value['*'])) {
                    $toMerge[] = $this->name($field) . '.*';
                    continue;
                }
                foreach ($value as $fieldname => $mode) {
                    $toMerge[] = $this->_fieldsQuote($field, $fieldname);
                }
            }
        }
        return $this->_fieldsReturn($type, $context, $toMerge, $schema);
    }