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class Products extends CI_Controller    {

    public function __construct(){
        //
        parent::__construct();
    }   

    public function index() {
        //
        $this->load->model('products_model');
        $data = $this->products_model->getProducts();

        $this->load->view('products',$data);    
    }

}

class Products_model extends CI_Model {

    private function getMake()
    {
        $this->db->order_by('make');
        return $this->db->get('manufacturer');
    }

    public function getProducts() {

        $meta_title = "Meta Title";
        $meta_keywords = "keywords";
        $meta_description = "Page description"; 

        $make = array('' => 'Select a make')+$this->getMake();      

        return array("make" => $make, "meta_title" => $meta_title,"meta_keywords" => $meta_keywords,"meta_description" => $meta_description);   

    }
}

<? echo form_dropdown('make',$make,$this->input->post('make')); ?>

$make = array('' => 'Select a make')+$this->getMake();

$make = array_merge(array(''=>'Select a make'), $this->getMake()->result());

$makes_temp = array();
foreach ($this->getMake()->result_array() as $explode_temp) {
   $makes_temp[$explode_temp['id']]=$explode_temp['make']; 

} 

$make = array(''=>'Select a make') + $makes_temp;