Codeigniter dynamic navigation

Question

I am a newbie with codeigniter. I am trying to write an application using mysql database. In my site I want to use menu as :

+Homepage
+About
+Services
  +Education services
  +neurofeedback
  +biofeedback

I need some information to understand. I use pages controller as main pages controller:

<?php 

class Pages extends CI_Controller {

        public function view($page = 'home')
        {$this->load->view('templates/header', $data);
        $this->load->view('pages/'.$page, $data);
        $this->load->view('templates/footer', $data);

my questions are :

1) where the menu controller must be coded inside pages controller or seperate one?

2) how can i make the menu controller from database ?

3) How can i make relation with the menu id and the page id?

I made lots of research but i need a little bit more understanding .

Thank you for your help.

Edit : I have used MY_Controller as you say .

This is my pages controller :

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

        public function view($page = 'home')
        {
         $this->load->helper('text');
            $data['records']= $this->services_model->getAll();
            if ( ! file_exists('application/views/pages/'.$page.'.php'))
            {
                // Whoops, we don't have a page for that!
                show_404();
            }

            $data['title'] = ucfirst($page); // Capitalize the first letter


            $this->load->view('pages/'.$page, $data);


        }

}

Solution

where the menu controller must be coded inside pages controller or seperate one?

Assuming that you have a template that must be followed by all pages, I suggest you to do this.

1. Create a basic controller

In the ./application/core/ folder, create a file called MY_Controller

class MY_Controller extends CI_Controller {

  protected $data = array();

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

  function render_page($view) {
    //do this to don't repeat in all controllers...
    $this->load->view('templates/header', $this->data);
    //menu_data must contain the structure of the menu...
    //you can populate it from database or helper
    $this->load->view('templates/menu', $menu_data);
    $this->load->view($view, $this->data);
    $this->load->view('templates/footer', $this->data);
  }

}

2. Create one controller to each page and use MY_Controller instead of CI_Controller

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

  function index() {
    //define data that the view can access
    $this->data['someDataToView'] = 'Some data';
    $this->render_page('pages/homepage');
  }

}

how can i make the menu controller from database?

Well, you will not have a controller for the menu, but a view instead.

Possibilities to the menu

1. Create a view for the menu, load the records from the database in MY_Controller, load the view in render_page();
2. Create a view for the menu, create a Helper function that defines the menu structure and use in MY_Controller, load the view in render_page();

Example of menu template (adjust for your scenario):

./application/views/templates/menu.php

<ul>
<?php foreach($menus as $menu): ?>
  <li><a href='<?php print $menu["url"] ?>'><?php print $menu["title"] ?></a></li>
<?php endforeach; ?>
</ul>

edit

Given your Home controller, I think the error is in your file_exists check. See the Home controller that I change:

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

   public function view($page = 'home') {
     $this->load->helper('text');
     //always use $this->data
     $this->data['records']= $this->services_model->getAll();
     if ( ! file_exists(APPPATH.'views/pages/'.$page.'.php'))
     {
       //check the content of APPPATH.'views/pages/'.$page.'.php'
       // Whoops, we don't have a page for that!
       show_404();
     }

     $this->data['title'] = ucfirst($page); // Capitalize the first letter

     //if you use the MY_Controller, check the render_page function...
     //$this->load->view('pages/'.$page, $data);
     $this->render_page('pages/'.$page)
   }
}

Comments

[ytsejam]

Sergio, am i right that I have to build a controller in "application/core/"? after that I have to build a pages controller in "application/controller"?

[Admin]

The controller in /application/core means that you will extend the CI_Controller, adding more functionalities. Note that you don't have a url for MY_Controller, but the others controllers in /application/controller will extend MY_Controller. You can see more info here

[ytsejam]

I get 404 error now. can You check my controllers ? I put them in the editted question.

[ytsejam]

Sergio , I have to ask you a question about $this->data .. I changed all my application to work with ajax. I can see the home.php but about.php does not let me to use database. Can I ask you your ideas?