Getting information from a model inside of a model file

For years I worked with a custom framework that was loosely based on CakePHP.  In that framework, we could access the model data within a model file by using $this->PROPERTY_NAME.  I have seen some Cake examples that use similar code, but for some reason, I can't get it to work.  Here is the function that I'm working with (taken from the InvoiceItem model):

public function getTableRowView(){

pr($this->data);

pr("id: ".$this->id);

pr("quantity: ".$this->data['InvoiceItem']['quantity']);

$html = "<td>$this->id</td>";

$html .="<td>".$this->InvoiceItem['quantity']."</td>";

$html .="<td>Notes</td>";

$html .="<td>Type</td>";

$html .="<td>Subtotal</td>";

return $html;

}

When I print out $this->data, this is the information that I get.  That part seems to be working just fine.

Array  (      [InvoiceItem] => Array          (              [id] => 121              [amount] => 1.00              [quantity] => 1              [notes] => Note 1              [invoice_item_type_id] => 1              [invoice_id] => 1          )        [InvoiceItemType] => Array          (              [id] => 1              [name] => Charge          )        [Invoice] => Array          (              [id] => 1              [name] => Invoice 1          )    )

The $id property can be accessed without any problems.  But the only way that I can get to any of the other information is to go through the data array: $this->data['InvoiceItem']['quantity'].

Is this the only way to get to the data in a model?  Shouldn't I just be able to use $this->quantity?  Thank you in advance for any help you can give me!

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