There has to be a better way!

gistfile1.txt

default.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<metadata>
	<layout title="COM_PGN_GAME_VIEW_DEFAULT_TITLE">
		<message>
			<![CDATA[COM_PGN_GAME_VIEW_DEFAULT_DESC]]>
		</message>
	</layout>
	<fields name="request">
		<fieldset name="request">
			<field
				name="title"
				type="sql"
				query="SELECT id, title FROM #__pgn"
				key_field="id"
				label="COM_PGN_GAME_FIELD_SELECT_LABEL"
				description="COM_PGN_GAME_FIELD_SELECT_DESC"
				extension="com_pgn"
				required="true"
				default="0">
			</field>
		</fieldset>
	</fields>
</metadata>

Results in the control I want in selecting a menu item (option name is the text from title, while option value is the id of the record).

But I had to whack the getItem call in the model:

	public function getItem($pk=null) 
	{
		$app = JFactory::getApplication('site');
		$id = $app->input->getInt('id');
		if(!$id) {
			$id = $app->input->getInt('title');
		}
.
.
}

to allow both the game tables and the menu item to work.