Thread

Most code I create and that I have seen built on CodeIgniter use custom base controllers but do not always start their names with “MY.”

I like to use things such as:
Public_Controller.php and Admin_Controller.php

In CodeIgniter 2.0 they move custom base classes (controllers) from the “applications/libraries” folder to the “applications/core” folder.

If you followed Phil Sturgeon’s guide on using custom base classes then you know you need to add an auto-load to the config.php file. Hover the code he shares still tries to load the files from the “libraries” folder. I have changed the code to try and load them from the “core” folder and I wanted to share it with you.

/*
| -------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Native Auto-load
| -------------------------------------------------------------------
| 
| Nothing to do with config/autoload.php, this allows PHP autoload to work
| for base controllers and some third-party libraries.
|
*/
function __autoload($class)
{
 if(strpos($class, 'CI_') !== 0)
 {
  @include_once( APPPATH . 'core/'. $class . EXT );
 }
}

Simply stick that at the bottom of your application/config.php file and your good to go for CI2.0

Note: if you already have it defined be sure to remove the current one or you will have an error.

Cheers,
Randy Cram

Good point, even better:

function __autoload($class)
{
    if (strpos($class, 'CI_') !== 0)
    {
        if (file_exists($file = APPPATH . 'core/' . $class . EXT))
        {
            include $file;
        }

        else if (file_exists($file = APPPATH . 'libraries/' . $class . EXT))
        {
            include $file;
        }
    }
}

Ah, Good thinking there Phil!

function __autoload($class)
{
    static $objects = array();
    
    // Make sure this class has not already been loaded or is not a CI base class
    if (preg_match('{^CI_}', $class) || in_array($class, $objects))
    {
        log_message('debug', "Hooks: Skipped auto loading class {$class}");
        return;
    }
    
    // Attempt to load the requested class
    $class_path = APPPATH . "libraries/{$class}" . EXT;
    if (file_exists($class_path))
    {
        include($class_path);
        $objects[] = $class;
        log_message('debug', "Hooks: Autoloaded Class {$class}.");
    }
    else
    {
        log_message('error', "Hooks: Failed auto loading class {$class} from path {$class_path}.");
    }
}

What I use.

I’m newbie with PHP OOP stuffs.
But my code work only if i wrote this:

class MY_Controller extends CI_Controller
{        
    function __construct()
    {
        parent::__construct();
    }
}

Is it correct? What is the best practice?

Thanks…

I’m newbie with PHP OOP stuffs.
But my code work only if i wrote this:

class MY_Controller extends CI_Controller
{        
    function __construct()
    {
        parent::__construct();
    }
}

Is it correct? What is the best practice?

Thanks…

Hey Cyrilkas,

What the gang is talking about here is the autoloading of Custom/Core Controllers. What you are referring to is the code that will be used in those controllers. However, your code is correct and especially true if you are using CI 2.0 as it is now entirely based on PHP 5.

Thanks Devon, i realize that later!

I feel like I’m missing something here. I followed Phil’s guide on keeping it DRY, and it worked before I had to add the autoloading bit of code to the end of the config.php file. Was autoloading from the ./application/core directory added to CI2 Reactor since this guide was written?

I want to create database driven navigation menu from data base. I have created library that mainly contains menu class and show_menu method.
I do not want to load this library in every controller for my page.
Can I use base controller idea (i have read Phil Sturgeon’s guide) to do this?
I have already tried to create base controller.

R.

Why not autoload the your library in application/config/autoload.php ?

InsiteFX

I have solved my problem…
The problem was not to load library in base controler or to autoload.
The cause of my problem was that I didn’t know that $data variable is somehow “globaly” seen in base controle and in or controlers extended from base controler (say MyPage extended BaseController).
So I didn’t know that if writing $data[‘menu’] = generete_menu() in base controller I can use this $data[‘menu’] in my MyPage controller.

R.