There seem to be some changes in newer Magento releases!
For 1.9 i had to:
copy app/code/core/Mage/CatalogRule/Model/Action/Index/Refresh.php
to app/code/local/Mage/CatalogRule/Model/Action/Index/Refresh.php
Change _prepareTemporarySelect.
I post the function in full here. Joins for special_price are added and then the price added to the selection of the price field. It still prefers group prices, becuas I never use them, but that can be changed easily!
protected
function _prepareTemporarySelect(Mage_Core_Model_Website $website)
{
/** @var $catalogFlatHelper Mage_Catalog_Helper_Product_Flat */
$catalogFlatHelper = $this->_factory->getHelper('catalog/product_flat');
/** @var $eavConfig Mage_Eav_Model_Config */
$eavConfig = $this->_factory->getSingleton('eav/config');
$priceAttribute = $eavConfig->getAttribute(Mage_Catalog_Model_Product::ENTITY, 'price');
$specialPriceAttr = Mage::getSingleton('eav/config')->getAttribute(Mage_Catalog_Model_Product::ENTITY, 'special_price');
$specialPriceTable = $specialPriceAttr->getBackend()->getTable();
$specialPriceAttributeId = $specialPriceAttr->getId();
$select = $this->_connection->select()->from(array(
'rp' => $this->_resource->getTable('catalogrule/rule_product')
) , array())->joinInner(array(
'r' => $this->_resource->getTable('catalogrule/rule')
) , 'r.rule_id = rp.rule_id', array())->where('rp.website_id = ?', $website->getId())->order(array(
'rp.product_id',
'rp.customer_group_id',
'rp.sort_order',
'rp.rule_product_id'
))->joinLeft(array(
'pg' => $this->_resource->getTable('catalog/product_attribute_group_price')
) , 'pg.entity_id = rp.product_id AND pg.customer_group_id = rp.customer_group_id' . ' AND pg.website_id = rp.website_id', array())->joinLeft(array(
'pgd' => $this->_resource->getTable('catalog/product_attribute_group_price')
) , 'pgd.entity_id = rp.product_id AND pgd.customer_group_id = rp.customer_group_id' . ' AND pgd.website_id = 0', array());
$storeId = $website->getDefaultStore()->getId();
if ($catalogFlatHelper->isEnabled() && $storeId && $catalogFlatHelper->isBuilt($storeId))
{
$select->joinInner(array(
'p' => $this->_resource->getTable('catalog/product_flat') . '_' . $storeId
) , 'p.entity_id = rp.product_id', array());
$priceColumn = $this->_connection->getIfNullSql($this->_connection->getIfNullSql('pg.value', 'pgd.value') , $this->_connection->getIfNullSql('p.special_price', 'p.price'));
}
else
{
$select->joinInner(array(
'pd' => $this->_resource->getTable(array(
'catalog/product',
$priceAttribute->getBackendType()
))
) , 'pd.entity_id = rp.product_id AND pd.store_id = 0 AND pd.attribute_id = ' . $priceAttribute->getId() , array())->joinLeft(array(
'pspd' => $specialPriceTable
) , 'pspd.entity_id = rp.product_id AND (pspd.attribute_id=' . $specialPriceAttributeId . ')' . 'AND pspd.store_id = 0', array())->joinLeft(array(
'p' => $this->_resource->getTable(array(
'catalog/product',
$priceAttribute->getBackendType()
))
) , 'p.entity_id = rp.product_id AND p.store_id = ' . $storeId . ' AND p.attribute_id = pd.attribute_id', array())->joinLeft(array(
'psp' => $specialPriceTable
) , 'psp.entity_id = rp.product_id AND (psp.attribute_id=' . $specialPriceAttributeId . ')' . 'AND psp.store_id = ' . $storeId, array());
$priceColumn = $this->_connection->getIfNullSql($this->_connection->getIfNullSql('pg.value', 'pgd.value') , $this->_connection->getIfNullSql('psp.value', $this->_connection->getIfNullSql('pspd.value', $this->_connection->getIfNullSql('p.value', 'pd.value'))));
}
$select->columns(array(
'grouped_id' => $this->_connection->getConcatSql(array(
'rp.product_id',
'rp.customer_group_id'
) , '-') ,
'product_id' => 'rp.product_id',
'customer_group_id' => 'rp.customer_group_id',
'from_date' => 'r.from_date',
'to_date' => 'r.to_date',
'action_amount' => 'rp.action_amount',
'action_operator' => 'rp.action_operator',
'action_stop' => 'rp.action_stop',
'sort_order' => 'rp.sort_order',
'price' => $priceColumn,
'rule_product_id' => 'rp.rule_product_id',
'from_time' => 'rp.from_time',
'to_time' => 'rp.to_time'
));
return $select;
}