Question

I’m using URIs to direct a function in a library…
View File (It’s huge, so I’m just posting the opening line):

<?php print form_open('survey',array('class'=>'horizontal','id'=>'form_survey'))?>

Library:

function survey_form($container)
{
    $id = $this->CI->session->userdata('id');
    // Setup fields
    for($i=1;$i<18;$i++){
      $fields["a_".$i] = 'Question '.$i;
    }
    for($i=1;$i<24;$i++){
      $fields["b_".$i] = 'Question '.$i;
    }
    $fields["firstname"] = "First Name";
    $fields["lastname"] = "Last Name";
    $fields["phone"] = "Phone";
    $fields["company_name"] = "Company Name";
    $fields['company_address'] = "company_address";
    $fields['company_phone'] = "company_phone";
    $fields['company_state'] = "company_state";
    $fields['company_city'] = "company_city";
    $fields['company_zip'] = "company_zip";
    $fields['job_title'] = "job_title";
    $fields['job_type'] = "job_type";
    $fields['job_time'] = "job_time";
    $fields['department'] = "department";
    $fields['supervisor'] = "supervisor";
    $fields['vision'] = "vision";
    $fields['height'] = "height";
    $fields['weight'] = "weight";
    $fields['hand_dominance'] = "hand_dominance";
    $fields['areas_of_fatigue'] = "areas_of_fatigue";
    $fields['job_description'] = "job_description";
    $fields['injury_review'] = "injury_review";
    $fields['job_positive'] = "job_positive";
    $fields['risk_factors'] = "risk_factors";
    $fields['job_improvement_short'] = "job_improvement_short";
    $fields['job_improvement_long'] = "job_improvement_long";
    $fields["c_1"] = "Near Lift";
    $fields["c_2"] = "Middle Lift";
    $fields["c_3"] = "Far Lift";
    $this->CI->validation->set_fields($fields);

    // Set Rules

    for($i=1;$i<18;$i++){
      $rules["a_".$i]= 'hour|integer|max_length[2]';
    }
    for($i=1;$i<24;$i++){
      $rules["b_".$i]= 'hour|integer|max_length[2]';
    }
    // Setup form default values
    $this->CI->validation->set_rules($rules);

        if ( $this->CI->validation->run() === FALSE )
        {
            // Output any errors
            $this->CI->validation->output_errors();
        }
        else
        {
            // Submit form
            $this->_submit();
        }
    //Tool for current user
    if ($method == 'update') {
        // Modify form, first load
        $this->CI->db->from('be_user_profiles');
        $this->CI->db->where('user_id' , $id);
        $user = $this->CI->db->get();
        $this->CI->db->from('be_survey');
        $this->CI->db->where('user_id' , $id);
        $survey =   $this->CI->db->get();
        $user = array_merge($user->row_array(),$survey->row_array());
        $this->CI->validation->set_default_value($user);

        // Display page
        $data['user'] = $user;
    }
    $data['header'] = 'Risk Assessment Survey';
    $data['page'] = $this->CI->config->item('backendpro_template_public') . 'form_survey';
    $this->CI->load->view($container,$data);
}

Submit function:

function _submit()
{
    $URI = $this->CI->uri->uri_string();
    $new = "new";
    if(strpos($URI, $new) === FALSE){
        $method = "update";
    }
    elseif(strpos($URI, $new) !== FALSE){
        $method = "create";
    }

    //Submit and Update for current User
    $id = $this->CI->session->userdata('id');
    $this->CI->db->select('users.id, users.username, users.email, profiles.firstname, profiles.manager_id');
    $this->CI->db->from('be_users' . " users");
    $this->CI->db->join('be_user_profiles' . " profiles",'users.id=profiles.user_id');
    $this->CI->db->having('id', $id);
    $email_data['user'] = $this->CI->db->get();
    $email_data['user'] = $email_data['user']->row();
    $manager_id = $email_data['user']->manager_id;
    $this->CI->db->select('firstname','email')->from('be_user_profiles')->where('user_id', $manager_id);

    $email_data['manager'] = $this->CI->db->get();
    $email_data['manager'] = $email_data['manager']->row();


    // Fetch what they entered in the form

    for($i=1;$i<18;$i++){
      $survey["a_".$i]= $this->CI->input->post('a_'.$i);
    }
    for($i=1;$i<24;$i++){
      $survey["b_".$i]= $this->CI->input->post('b_'.$i);
    }
    for($i=1;$i<12;$i++){
      $survey["c_".$i]= $this->CI->input->post('c_'.$i);
    }
    $profile['firstname'] = $this->CI->input->post('firstname');
    $profile['lastname'] = $this->CI->input->post('lastname');
    $profile['test_date'] = date ("Y-m-d H:i:s");
    $profile['company_name'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_name');
    $profile['company_address'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_address');
    $profile['company_city'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_city');
    $profile['company_phone'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_phone');
    $profile['company_state'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_state');
    $profile['company_zip'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_zip');
    $profile['job_title'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_title');
    $profile['job_type'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_type');
    $profile['job_time'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_time');
    $profile['department'] = $this->CI->input->post('department');
    $profile['vision'] = $this->CI->input->post('vision');
    $profile['height'] = $this->CI->input->post('height');
    $profile['weight'] = $this->CI->input->post('weight');
    $profile['hand_dominance'] = $this->CI->input->post('hand_dominance');
    $profile['areas_of_fatigue'] = $this->CI->input->post('areas_of_fatigue');
    $profile['job_description'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_description');
    $profile['injury_review'] = $this->CI->input->post('injury_review');
    $profile['job_positive'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_positive');
    $profile['risk_factors'] = $this->CI->input->post('risk_factors');
    $profile['job_improvement_short'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_improvement_short');
    $profile['job_improvement_long'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_improvement_long');      

    if ($method == "update") {
        //Begin db transmission
        $this->CI->db->trans_begin();

        $this->CI->home_model->update('Survey',$survey, array('user_id' => $id));
        $this->CI->db->update('be_user_profiles',$profile, array('user_id' => $id));        
        if ($this->CI->db->trans_status() === FALSE)
        {
            flashMsg('error','There was a problem entering your test! Please contact an administrator.');
            redirect('survey','location');
        }
        else
        {
            //Get credits of user and subtract 1        
            $this->CI->db->set('credits', 'credits -1', FALSE);
            $this->CI->db->update('be_user_profiles',$profile, array('user_id' => $manager_id));

            //Mark the form completed.
            $this->CI->db->set('test_complete', '1');
            $this->CI->db->where('user_id', $id)->update('be_user_profiles');
            // Stuff worked...
            $this->CI->db->trans_commit();



            //Get Manager Information
            $this->CI->db->select('users.id, users.username, users.email, profiles.firstname');
            $this->CI->db->from('be_users' . " users");
            $this->CI->db->join('be_user_profiles' . " profiles",'users.id=profiles.user_id');
            $this->CI->db->having('id', $email_data['user']->manager_id);
            $email_data['manager'] = $this->CI->db->get();
            $email_data['manager'] = $email_data['manager']->row();

            //Email User
            $this->CI->load->library('User_email');
            $data_user = array(
                    'firstname'=>$email_data['user']->firstname,
                    'email'=> $email_data['user']->email,
                    'user_completed'=>$email_data['user']->firstname,
                    'site_name'=>$this->CI->preference->item('site_name'),
                    'site_url'=>base_url()
            );

            //Email Manager     
            $data_manager = array(
                    'firstname'=>$email_data['manager']->firstname,
                    'email'=> $email_data['manager']->email,
                    'user_completed'=>$email_data['user']->firstname,
                    'site_name'=>$this->CI->preference->item('site_name'),
                    'site_url'=>base_url()
            );
            $this->CI->user_email->send($email_data['manager']->email,'Completed the Assessment Tool','public/email_manager_complete',$data_manager);
            $this->CI->user_email->send($email_data['user']->email,'Completed the Assessment Tool','public/email_user_complete',$data_user);

            flashMsg('success','You finished the assessment successfully!');
            redirect('home','location');
        }
    }
    //Create New User
    elseif ($method == "create") {
            // Build
            $profile['user_id'] = $id;
            $profile['manager_id'] = $manager_id;
            $profile['test_complete'] = '1';
            $survey['user_id'] = $id;
            $this->CI->db->trans_begin();

            // Add user_profile details to DB
            $this->CI->db->insert('be_user_profiles',$profile);
            $this->CI->db->insert('be_survey',$survey);

            if ($this->CI->db->trans_status() === FALSE)
            {
                // Registration failed
                $this->CI->db->trans_rollback();

                flashMsg('error',$this->CI->lang->line('userlib_registration_failed'));
                redirect('auth/register','location');
            }
            else
            {
                // User registered
                $this->CI->db->trans_commit();

                flashMsg('success',$this->CI->lang->line('userlib_registration_success'));
                redirect($this->CI->config->item('userlib_action_register'),'location');
            }

    }
}

Controller function:

function survey()
{
    $id = $this->session->userdata('id');
    $data['member'] = $this->home_model->getUsers(array('user_id'=>$id));

    //Convert the db Object to a row array
    $data['manager'] = $data['member']->row();
    $manager_id = $data['manager']->manager_id;
    $data['manager'] = $this->home_model->getUsers(array('manager_id'=>$id));
    $data['manager'] = $data['manager']->row();
    if ($data['manager']->credits == '0')   {
        flashMsg('warning',"You can't complete the assessment until your manager has purchased credit.");
        redirect('home','location');
    }
    elseif ($data['manager']->test_complete == '3'){
        flashMsg('warning',"You already completed the Assessment.");
        redirect('home','location');                        
    }
    else{
        $data['header'] = "Home";
        $this->survey_form_processing->survey_form($this->_container,$data);
    }
}

The submit function is similar, updating the db if $method == “update”, and inserting if the method == “create”.

The problem is, when the form is submitted, it doesn’t take into account the url b/c the form submits to the function “survey”, which passes data to the lib function, so things are always updated, never created.

How can I pass $method to the _submit() function correctly?!

Answer 1

I have a better understanding of your problem now – thanks for posting the updates to your code. I’m updating and elaborating on my answer to explain your problem and offer some solutions.

I’m sure you know, but it won’t hurt to preface this with a basic review of the general MVC pattern as it relates to URI structure. That is, in the example of site.com/home/survey/new, the first segment home is the controller class name, the second segment survey is the controller function name, and the third segment new (and any segments after this) is an ID or variable passed to survey(). More here.

Your code isn’t working because you never pass a variable to survey() via the URI when you submit the form, so “new” never exists in the URL, and therefore $method is always set to “update”. So,

“How can I pass $method to the
_submit() function correctly?”

There are a couple of options for doing this. Each one simply requires that you determine whether a user->survey relationship exists in order to set $method. You can then pass $method on to the appropriate functions. For my example below, I’m going to assume that a user can only have one survey. If that’s not the case you’ll just have to account for a unique survey ID associated with a unique user ID.

One possible scenario goes like this (again, this assumes that a user can be associated with only one survey):

1. User submits survey
2. Upon form submission, check to see if a survey already exists for that user
3. If so, set $method="update" otherwise set $method="create"
4. Proceed to pass $method to the other necessary functions

An alternative solution might look like this:

1. In your controller function that calls the view file of your survey, determine if a record already exists for the user.
2. Pass that data to your survey view
3. In the view, modify the form action so that it passes that data (either “create” or “update”) to the survey() function when the form is submitted.
4. In survey(), set $method based on the data supplied
5. Proceed to pass $method to the other necessary functions

I’ll use the first option as an example and outline the logic you would need (forgive the somewhat pseudo-code, but you’ll get the idea):

survey() function:

function survey() {

    // instead of determining whether "new" is part of the URI (which it never is),
    // check for an existing survey associated with the logged in user's ID
    $id = $this->session->userdata('id');
    $query = $this->db->get_where('Survey', array('user_id' => $id));

    // if the above query returns a result, set $method="update"
    // otherwise set $method="create"
    if ($query->num_rows() > 0) {
        $method="update";
    } else {
        $method="create";
    }

    // whatever other logic you need here

    // pass $method to survey_form()
    $this->survey_form_processing->survey_form($this->_container, $data, $method);
}

survey_form() function:

function survey_form($container, $data, $method) {

    // your other code here

    if ( $this->CI->validation->run() === FALSE ) {
        // Output any errors
        $this->CI->validation->output_errors();
    } else {
        // Submit form (w/ $method parameter - this comes from survey())
        $this->_submit($method);
    }

}

_submit() function:

function _submit($method) {

    // your other code here

    if ($method == "update") {
        // do something
    } elseif ($method == "create") {
        // do something else
    }

}

As a side note, there are probably better ways to structure what you’re doing. For example, in my pseudo-code above, the database interactions should probably be happening in a model. For clarity, though, they are included in the controller. I hope that helps!