Issue #17 Add find_array method

README.markdown

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ Changelog
 * Prevent ambiguous column names when joining tables - issue #66 [[hellogerard](https://github.com/hellogerard)]
 * Add `delete_many` method [[CBeerta](https://github.com/CBeerta)]
 * Allow unsetting of ORM parameters [[CBeerta](https://github.com/CBeerta)]
+* Add `find_array` to get the records as associative arrays [[Surt](https://github.com/Surt)] - closes issue #17
 
 #### 1.1.1 - release 2011-01-30
 
@@ -129,6 +130,14 @@ To find all records where the `gender` is `female`:
 
     $females = ORM::for_table('person')->where('gender', 'female')->find_many();
 
+##### As an associative array #####
+
+You can also find many records as an associative array instead of Idiorm instances. To do this substitute any call to `find_many()` with `find_array()`.
+
+    $females = ORM::for_table('person')->where('gender', 'female')->find_array();
+
+This is useful if you need to serialise the the query output into a format like JSON and you do not need the ability to update the returned records.
+
 #### Counting results ####
 
 To return a count of the number of rows that would be returned by a query, call the `count()` method.

idiorm.php

@@ -396,6 +396,16 @@ public function find_many() {
             return array_map(array($this, '_create_instance_from_row'), $rows);
         }
 
+        /**
+         * Tell the ORM that you are expecting multiple results
+         * from your query, and execute it. Will return an array,
+         * or an empty array if no rows were returned.
+         * @return array
+         */
+        public function find_array() {
+            return $this->_run(); 
+        }
+
         /**
          * Tell the ORM that you wish to execute a COUNT query.
          * Will return an integer representing the number of