CodeIgniter: How to pass variables to a model while loading - codeigniter

Question

In CI, I have a model...
<?php
class User_crud extends CI_Model {
var $base_url;
var $category;
var $brand;
var $filter;
var $limit;
var $page_number;
public function __construct($category, $brand, $filter, $limit, $page_number) {
$this->base_url = base_url();
$this->category = $category;
$this->brand = $brand;
$this->filter = $filter;
$this->limit = $limit;
$this->page_number = $page_number;
}
public function get_categories() {
// output
$output = "";
// query
$this->db->select("name");
$this->db->from("categories");
$query = $this->db->get();
// zero
if ($query->num_rows() < 1) {
$output .= "No results found";
return $output;
}
// result
$output .= "<li><a class=\"name\">Categories</a></li>\n";
foreach ($query->result_array as $row) {
$output = "<li>{$row['name']}</li>\n";
}
return $output;
}
while I am calling this in my controller...
<?php
class Pages extends CI_Controller {
// home page
public function home() {
}
// products page
public function products($category = "cell phones", $brand = "all", $filter = "latest") {
// loading
$this->load->model("user_crud");
//
}
Now, How can I pass the $category, $brand and $filter variables to the user_crud model while loading/instantiation?

Answer 1

You shouldn't be using your model like this, just pass the items you need for the functions you require:
$this->load->model("user_crud");
$data['categories'] = $this->user_crud->get_categories($id, $category, $etc);
I would suggest (after seeing your code) that you study the fantastic codeigniter userguide as it has really good examples, and you just went a totally different way (treating model like an object). Its more simple sticking to how it was designed vs what you are doing.

Answer 2

You can not. A better idea would be to setup some setters in your model class along with some private vars and set them after loading the model.
if you return $this from the setters you can even chain them together like $this->your_model->set_var1('test')->set_var2('test2');