CodeIgniter User Guide Version 1.6.1

HTML Helper

The HTML Helper file contains functions that assist in working with HTML.

Loading this Helper

This helper is loaded using the following code:

$this->load->helper('html');

The following functions are available:

br()

Generates line break tags (<br />) based on the number you submit. Example:

echo br(3);

The above would produce: <br /><br /><br />

heading()

Lets you create HTML <h1> tags. The first parameter will contain the data, the second the size of the heading. Example:

echo heading('Welcome!', 3);

The above would produce: <h3>Welcome!</h3>

img()

Lets you create HTML <img /> tags. The first parameter contains the image source. There is data, the second the size of the heading. Example:

img('images/picture.jpg');
// gives <img src="http://site.com/images/picture.jpg" />

There is an optional second parameter that is a TRUE/FALSE value that specifics if the src should have the page specified by $config['index_page'] added to the address it creates. Presumably, this would be if you were using a media controller.

img('images/picture.jpg', TRUE);
// gives <img src="http://site.com/index.php/images/picture.jpg" />

Additionally, an associative array can be passed to the img() function for complete control over all attributes and values.

$image_properties = array(
          'src' => 'images/picture.jpg',
          'alt' => 'Me, demonstrating how to eat 4 slices of pizza at one time',
          'class' => 'post_images',
          'width' => '200',
          'height' => '200',
          'title' => 'That was quite a night',
          'rel' => 'lightbox',
);

img($image_properties);
// <img src="http://site.com/index.php/images/picture.jpg" alt="Me, demonstrating how to eat 4 slices of pizza at one time" class="post_images" width="200" height="200" title="That was quite a night" rel="lightbox" />

link_tag()

Lets you create HTML <link /> tags. This is useful for stylesheet links, as well as other links. The parameters are href, with optional rel, type, title, media and index_page. index_page is a TRUE/FALSE value that specifics if the href should have the page specified by $config['index_page'] added to the address it creates. link_tag('css/mystyles.css');
// gives <link href="http://site.com/css/mystyles.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />

Further examples:

link_tag('favicon.ico', 'shortcut icon', 'image/ico');
// <link href="http://site.com/favicon.ico" rel="shortcut icon" type="image/ico" />

link('feed', 'alternate', 'application/rss+xml', 'My RSS Feed');
// <link href="http://site.com/feed" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="My RSS Feed" />

Additionally, an associative array can be passed to the link() function for complete control over all attributes and values.

$link = array(
          'href' => 'css/printer.css',
          'rel' => 'stylesheet',
          'type' => 'text/css',
          'media' => 'print'
);

link_tag($link);
// <link href="http://site.com/css/printer.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="print" />

nbs()

Generates non-breaking spaces (&nbsp;) based on the number you submit. Example:

echo nbs(3);

The above would produce: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

ol()  and  ul()

Permits you to generate ordered or unordered HTML lists from simple or multi-dimensional arrays. Example:

$this->load->helper('html');

$list = array(
            'red',
            'blue',
            'green',
            'yellow'
            );

$attributes = array(
                    'class' => 'boldlist',
                    'id'    => 'mylist'
                    );

echo ul($list, $attributes);

The above code will produce this:

<ul class="boldlist" id="mylist">
  <li>red</li>
  <li>blue</li>
  <li>green</li>
  <li>yellow</li>
</ul>

Here is a more complex example, using a multi-dimensional array:

$this->load->helper('html');

$list = array(
            'colors' => array(
                                'red',
                                'blue',
                                'green'
                            ),
            'shapes' => array(
                                'round',
                                'square',
                                'circles' => array(
                                                    'ellipse',
                                                    'oval',
                                                    'sphere'
                                                    )
                            ),
            'moods'    => array(
                                'happy',
                                'upset' => array(
                                                    'defeated' => array(
                                                                        'dejected',
                                                                        'disheartened',
                                                                        'depressed'
                                                                        ),
                                                    'annoyed',
                                                    'cross',
                                                    'angry'
                                                )
                            )
            );


echo ul($list);

The above code will produce this:

<ul class="boldlist" id="mylist">
  <li>colors
    <ul>
      <li>red</li>
      <li>blue</li>
      <li>green</li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li>shapes
    <ul>
      <li>round</li>
      <li>suare</li>
      <li>circles
        <ul>
          <li>elipse</li>
          <li>oval</li>
          <li>sphere</li>
        </ul>
      </li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li>moods
    <ul>
      <li>happy</li>
      <li>upset
        <ul>
          <li>defeated
            <ul>
              <li>dejected</li>
              <li>disheartened</li>
              <li>depressed</li>
            </ul>
          </li>
          <li>annoyed</li>
          <li>cross</li>
          <li>angry</li>
        </ul>
      </li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ul>