Array Helper
+ +The Array Helper file contains functions that assist in working with arrays.
+ + +Loading this Helper
+ +This helper is loaded using the following code:
+$this->load->helper('array');
+
+The following functions are available:
+ +element()
+ +Lets you fetch an item from an array. The function tests whether the array index is set and whether it has a value. If +a value exists it is returned. If a value does not exist it returns FALSE, or whatever you've specified as the default value via the third parameter. Example:
+ +
+$array = array('color' => 'red', 'shape' => 'round', 'size' => '');
+
+// returns "red"
+echo element('color', $array);
+
+// returns NULL
+echo element('size', $array, NULL);
+
+
+
+random_element()
+ +Takes an array as input and returns a random element from it. Usage example:
+ +$quotes = array(
+ "I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have. - Thomas Jefferson",
+ "Don't stay in bed, unless you can make money in bed. - George Burns",
+ "We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time. - Vince Lombardi",
+ "If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough. - Mario Andretti",
+ "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. - Albert Einstein",
+ "Chance favors the prepared mind - Louis Pasteur"
+ );
+
+echo random_element($quotes);
+
+
+elements()
+ +Lets you fetch a number of items from an array. The function tests whether each of the array indices is set. If an index does not exist +it is set to FALSE, or whatever you've specified as the default value via the third parameter. Example:
+ +
+$array = array(
+ 'color' => 'red',
+ 'shape' => 'round',
+ 'radius' => '10',
+ 'diameter' => '20'
+);
+
+$my_shape = elements(array('color', 'shape', 'height'), $array);
+
+
+The above will return the following array:
+ +
+array(
+ 'color' => 'red',
+ 'shape' => 'round',
+ 'height' => FALSE
+);
+
+
+You can set the third parameter to any default value you like:
+ +
+$my_shape = elements(array('color', 'shape', 'height'), $array, NULL);
+
+
+The above will return the following array:
+ +
+array(
+ 'color' => 'red',
+ 'shape' => 'round',
+ 'height' => NULL
+);
+
+
+This is useful when sending the $_POST array to one of your Models. This prevents users from +sending additional POST data to be entered into your tables:
+ +
+$this->load->model('post_model');
+
+$this->post_model->update(elements(array('id', 'title', 'content'), $_POST));
+
+
+This ensures that only the id, title and content fields are sent to be updated.
+ +