From b0dd10f8171945e0c1f3527dd1e9d18b043e01a7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: admin Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2006 17:25:49 +0000 Subject: Initial Import --- user_guide/helpers/index.html | 131 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 131 insertions(+) create mode 100644 user_guide/helpers/index.html (limited to 'user_guide/helpers/index.html') diff --git a/user_guide/helpers/index.html b/user_guide/helpers/index.html new file mode 100644 index 000000000..342549d33 --- /dev/null +++ b/user_guide/helpers/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,131 @@ + + + + +Code Igniter User Guide + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
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Code Igniter User Guide Version 1.4.0

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Helper Functions

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Helpers, as the name suggests, help you with tasks. Each helper file is simply a collection of functions in a particular +category. There are URL Helpers, that assist in creating links, there are Form Helpers +that help you create form elements, Text Helpers perform various text formatting routines, +Cookie Helpers set and read cookies, File Helpers help you deal with files, etc. +

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Unlike most other systems in Code Igniter, Helpers are not written in an Object Oriented format. They are simple, procedural functions. +Each helper function performs one specific task, with no dependence on other functions.

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Helpers are intentionally kept very simple so that they can be used within your View Files with a minimal amount of code. +This is important if you intend to have designers or non-programmer will be working with your view files, since it keeps the code to a minimum. +

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Code Igniter does not load Helper Files by default, so the first step in using +a Helper is to load it. Once loaded, it becomes globally available in your controller and views.

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Loading a Helper

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Loading a helper file is quite simple using the following function:

+ +$this->load->helper('name'); + +

Where name is the file name of the helper, without the .php file extension or the "helper" part.

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For example, to load the URL Helper file, which is named url_helper.php, you would do this:

+ +$this->load->helper('url'); + +

A helper can be loaded anywhere within your controller functions (or even within your View files, although that's not a good practice), +as long as you load it before you use it. You can load your helpers in your controller constructor so that they become available +automatically in any function, or you can load a helper in a specific function that needs it.

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Note: The Helper loading function above does not return a value, so don't try to assign it to a variable. Just use it as shown.

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Auto-loading Helpers

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If you find that you need a particular helper globally throughout your application, you can tell Code Igniter to auto-load it during system initialization. +This is done by opening the application/config/autoload.php file and adding the helper to the autoload array.

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Using a Helper

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Once you've loaded the Helper File containing the function you intend to use, you'll call it the way you would a standard PHP function.

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For example, to create a link using the anchor() function in one of your view files you would do this:

+ +<?=anchor('blog/comments', 'Click Here');?> + +

Where "Click Here" is the name of the link, and "blog/comments" is the URI to the controller/function you wish to link to.

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Now What?

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In the Table of Contents you'll find a list of all the available Helper Files. Browse each one to see what they do.

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