Codeigniter application: avoid repeating code in multiple methods of the same controller

Question

I am working on a basic blog application with Codeigniter 3.1.8 and Bootstrap 4.

In my Posts controller I have three methods that repeat 7 lines of code instead of sharing them:

public function index() {

    // More code here

    /* This code is in all three methods */
    $data = $this->Static_model->get_static_data();
    $data['pages'] = $this->Pages_model->get_pages();
    $data['categories'] = $this->Categories_model->get_categories();
    $data['number_of_pages'] = $this->Pages_model->count_pages();
    $data['number_of_posts'] = $this->Posts_model->get_num_rows();
    $data['number_of_categories'] = $this->Categories_model->get_num_rows();
    $data['number_of_comments'] = $this->Comments_model->get_num_rows();
    /* This code is in all three methods */
    $data['posts'] = $this->Posts_model->get_posts($limit, $offset);
    $data['offset'] = $offset;

    $this->load->view('partials/header', $data);
    $this->load->view('dashboard/posts');
    $this->load->view('partials/footer');
}

public function create() {

    $data = $this->Static_model->get_static_data();
    $data['pages'] = $this->Pages_model->get_pages();
    $data['categories'] = $this->Categories_model->get_categories();
    $data['number_of_pages'] = $this->Pages_model->count_pages();
    $data['number_of_posts'] = $this->Posts_model->get_num_rows();
    $data['number_of_categories'] = $this->Categories_model->get_num_rows();
    $data['number_of_comments'] = $this->Comments_model->get_num_rows();
    $data['tagline'] = "Add New Post";

    // More code here
}

public function edit($id) {
    // More code here

    $data = $this->Static_model->get_static_data();
    $data['pages'] = $this->Pages_model->get_pages();
    $data['categories'] = $this->Categories_model->get_categories();
    $data['number_of_pages'] = $this->Pages_model->count_pages();
    $data['number_of_posts'] = $this->Posts_model->get_num_rows();
    $data['number_of_categories'] = $this->Categories_model->get_num_rows();
    $data['number_of_comments'] = $this->Comments_model->get_num_rows();
    $data['post'] = $this->Posts_model->get_post($id);
}

I do not believe it is "effective" to create a base controller that extend the CI_Controller and then make all my controllers extend my base controller, as this base controller is related only to the posts.

What is the best alternative to creatibg a base controller in this case?

Create a method that populates data with your common attributes? — Progrock
– Progrock, Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 21:09

DFriend · Accepted Answer · 2019-08-14 21:27:49Z

1

Easy to do. Simply create a "worker" method in the controller that runs the repeating code and that returns the $data array.

public function index()
{
    // More code here
    $data = $this->get_data();
    $data['posts'] = $this->Posts_model->get_posts($limit, $offset);
    $data['offset'] = $offset;

    $this->load->view('partials/header', $data);
    $this->load->view('dashboard/posts');
    $this->load->view('partials/footer');
}

public function create()
{
    $data = $this->get_data();
    $data['tagline'] = "Add New Post";

    // More code here
}

public function edit($id)
{
    // More code here

    $data = $this->get_data();
    $data['post'] = $this->Posts_model->get_post($id);
}

// Here's your worker method. 
// Note it is "private" so it can only be called from within this controller
private function get_data()
{
    /* This code is in all three methods */
    $data = $this->Static_model->get_static_data();
    $data['pages'] = $this->Pages_model->get_pages();
    $data['categories'] = $this->Categories_model->get_categories();
    $data['number_of_pages'] = $this->Pages_model->count_pages();
    $data['number_of_posts'] = $this->Posts_model->get_num_rows();
    $data['number_of_categories'] = $this->Categories_model->get_num_rows();
    $data['number_of_comments'] = $this->Comments_model->get_num_rows();
    return $data;
}

answered Aug 14, 2019 at 21:27

DFriend

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2 Comments

Razvan Zamfir Over a year ago

Whi is the worker method the kast of them? Wouldn't it be better if it were the first?

DFriend Over a year ago

The order of methods in the class has no effect on the performance.

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