Extending The Controller Class in CodeIgniter

Question

I have class MY_Controller extends CI_Controller and common logic for big profile section, so I'va tried to create class Profile extends MY_Controller with common logic for profile section and all class related to this section should extends this Profile class as I understand right, but when I tried to create class Index extends Profile I recieve an error:

Fatal error: Class 'Profile' not found

CodeIgniter tries to find this class in index.php which I am running.

Where is my mistake? Or maybe there is anoter better way to mark out common logic?

Bussy

I asked the same question [here][1] [1]: #7982687 Hope it helps – Outcry

Answer 1

I take it you have put your MY_Controller in /application/core, and set the prefix in the config. I would be careful about using index as a class name though. As a function/method in Codeigniter it has a dedicated behaviour.

If you then want to extend that controller you need to put the classes in the same file.

E.g. In /application core

/* start of php file */
class MY_Controller extends CI_Controller {
    public function __construct() {
       parent::__construct();
    }
...
}

class another_controller extends MY_Controller {
    public function __construct() {
       parent::__construct();
    }
...
}
/* end of php file */

In /application/controllers

class foo extends MY_Controller {
    public function __construct() {
       parent::__construct();
    }
...
}

or

class bar extends another_controller {
    public function __construct() {
       parent::__construct();
    }
...
}

Garb

Probably worth mentioning that methods in MY_Controller should likely be prefixed with _, so that CI doesn't route them (since, by nature all methods you want to share with all controllers must be public). – Coyne

Surely the shared methods can be protected instead of public. So they won't get routed, but will be accessible by the extending controllers. – Todo

Answer 2

A solution that doesn't require copy/pasting the parent class into all your controller classes:

1. Place your parent class in the core folder.

2. Place an include statement at the beginning of all classes that include the parent class.

So a typical controller might look like this:

<?php

require_once APPPATH . 'core/Your_Base_Class.php';
// must use require_once instead of include or you will get an error when loading 404 pages

class NormalController extends Your_Base_Class
{
    public function __construct()
    {
        parent::__construct();
        
        // authentication/permissions code, or whatever you want to put here
    }

    // your methods go here
}

Customer

Answer 3

It is possible with Codeigniter 3. Just including the parent file is enough.

require_once(APPPATH."controllers/MyParentController.php");
class MyChildController extends MyParentController {
...

Hookworm

Answer 4

All classes you are extending should live in application/CORE directory so in your case both My_Controller and Profile should live there. All "end point" controllers will live in application/controllers folder

UPDATE

I stand corrected. Extended classes should live in the same file. @Rooneyl's answer shows how to implement

Gushy

I think is not necesary that all the controllers are under CORE but only the base controllers. – Outcry

@luso, I tried putting my_controllers in /controllers/core and Profile & OtherClass (op called it Index) in /controllers. Otherclass extends Profile extends My_controller. that throws error. Move Profile to /core and it works. Are you able to put Profile & OtherClass in /controllers and get it to work? – Gushy

@Alexey Gerasimov I've moved Profile class to the application/core folder, but nothing have changed. I do recieve the same error. Does it matter what name have file or anything else? What have I missed? – Bussy

take a look at #7628087 and philsturgeon.co.uk/blog/2010/02/… – Garb

@Garb I got it. But is it a good practise to create an __autoload function, or better place all common classes in MY_Controller? – Bussy

@Bussy Just me me, I tend to extend the core files in the way I described. Autoload in on the way out (php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.autoload.php), and I don't want to redo things. I'm too lazy! – Garb

is not app/controllers/core but /app/core – Outcry

Answer 5

After some struggle with version 3 and this issue I decided this was not a bad solution...

require_once BASEPATH.'core/Controller.php';
require_once APPPATH.'core/MYCI_Controller.php';

to add this second line where the first exists in the system/core/CodeIgniter.php

[If it's not too late, I recommend strongly against php and/or CodeIgniter.]

Calm

Comment the reason before down voting. – Allfired

It's likely they love php, my apologies if I've offended anyone. – Calm

They don't love PHP... Not all frameworks provide file handling and always need improvement. – Allfired