Extending CI_Model for use with report database - codeigniter

Question

I am trying to add a separate report database to my application by extending CI_Model and setting up the correct database to use based on if the database is defined. The report database will be a replicated version of the regular database for performance reasons.
Is this the proper way?
In application/core/MY_Model:
<?php
class MY_Model extends CI_Model
{
function __construct()
{
parent::__construct();
include APPPATH.'config/database.php';
//If we have a reporting database load it and use it for all reporting functions
if (isset($db['reports']))
{
$this->report_db = $this->load->database('reports', TRUE);
}
else
{
$this->report_db = $this->load->database('default', TRUE);
}
}
}
?>

Answer 1

You can use both of your databases within your code. This you have to define in config/database.php
database.php
$active_group = 'default';
$active_record = TRUE;
$db['default']['hostname'] = 'localhost';
$db['default']['username'] = 'username';
$db['default']['password'] = 'password';
$db['default']['database'] = 'database1';
$db['default']['dbdriver'] = 'mysqli';
$db['default']['dbprefix'] = '';
$db['default']['pconnect'] = TRUE;
$db['default']['db_debug'] = TRUE;
$db['default']['cache_on'] = FALSE;
$db['default']['cachedir'] = '';
$db['default']['char_set'] = 'utf8';
$db['default']['dbcollat'] = 'utf8_general_ci';
$db['default']['swap_pre'] = '';
$db['default']['autoinit'] = TRUE;
$db['default']['stricton'] = FALSE;
$db['reports']['hostname'] = 'localhost';
$db['reports']['username'] = 'username';
$db['reports']['password'] = 'password';
$db['reports']['database'] = 'database2';
$db['reports']['dbdriver'] = 'mysqli';
$db['reports']['dbprefix'] = '';
$db['reports']['pconnect'] = TRUE;
$db['reports']['db_debug'] = TRUE;
$db['reports']['cache_on'] = FALSE;
$db['reports']['cachedir'] = '';
$db['reports']['char_set'] = 'utf8';
$db['reports']['dbcollat'] = 'utf8_general_ci';
$db['reports']['swap_pre'] = '';
$db['reports']['autoinit'] = TRUE;
$db['reports']['stricton'] = FALSE;
reports_model.php
<?php
class Reports_model extends CI_Model
{
public function __construct()
{
parent::__construct();
$this->db_reports = $this->load->database('reports', TRUE);
}
public function reports_list()
{
$this->db_reports->get('some_table');
}
}
other_model.php
<?php
class Other_model extends CI_Model
{
public function __construct()
{
parent::__construct();
}
public function xyz()
{
$this->db->get('some_table');
}
}
Explanation:
Since you have defined default as your active group, so whatever database you have defined in your default group, you can use as following in your model -
$this->db->get('some_table'); // as we defined normally
And sine you have other databases also you can have another group of them. We have defined them in reports group. So we have add an extra _reports after db like this -
$this->db_reports->get('some_table');