Codeigniter - Sending a query result_arry() to a View for form_dropdown - codeigniter-2

Question

I am using form_dropdown() and have a a problem below:
The form code is:
echo form_dropdown($level,$level_options,'1');
It works when I use
$level_options = array(
'1' => 'Grade 6',
'2' => 'Grade 7'
);
but not when I send a $data['levels'] from controller to view
For reference, the model database retrieve code is:
public function getAllLevelNames() {
$query = $this->db->query("SELECT level_description from levels ORDER BY level_description");
return $query->result_array();
}
The Problem
The problem is I get a dropdown pick list with:
0
Grade 6
1
Grade 7
The indexes are greyed out.
How do I get rid of the indexes?
Thanks in advance!
P.S.
I seem to have the form working now with a data['levels'] sent to the view. Now, the following code in my view seems to return "null" to my controller. Any ideas why please?
$level = array(
'name' => 'level',
'id' => 'level',
'value' => '1',
'maxlength' => '50',
'size' => '50',
'style' => 'width:50%',
);
$level_options = $levels;
echo "<p>Level: ";
echo form_dropdown($level,$level_options,'1');
Thanks!

Answer 1

You'll need to loop through your results_array and create a new array which is formatted correctly.
$query = $this->db->query("SELECT level_description from levels ORDER BY level_description");
$for_dropdown = array();
foreach ($query->result_array() as $row) {
$for_dropdown[$row->level_description] = $row->level_description;
}
return $for_dropdown;
Also I'm not sure how your levels table is structured, but usually you'll have an ID of some sort, which will be the primary key. If you do have that, you can include it in your query and have something like this instead:
$query = $this->db->query("SELECT id, level_description from levels ORDER BY level_description");
... // other code
$for_dropdown[$row->id] = $row->level_description;