Codeigniter connect to second DB based on first DB - php

Question

I have an autoloaded DB which has all its var set in the config/database.php file as a default group:
$db['default'] = array(
'dsn' => '',
'hostname' => 'localhost',
'username' => 'root',
'password' => 'root',
'database' => 'dbname',
'dbdriver' => 'mysqli',
'dbprefix' => '',
'pconnect' => false,
'db_debug' => (ENVIRONMENT !== 'production'),
'cache_on' => false,
'cachedir' => '',
'char_set' => 'utf8',
'dbcollat' => 'utf8_general_ci',
'swap_pre' => '',
'encrypt' => false,
'compress' => false,
'stricton' => false,
'failover' => array(),
'save_queries' => true
);
In this default DB there is a table where I need to read an external DB, and I have all fields to get a new connection.
I need to connect both DB at the same time, but I cannot define the DB variables in the config/database.php as these are dynamic and may change depending on the DB (default) content.
My idea was this either to SET $db['external'] = [...] IN THE CONTROLLER and set the data from the default DB I read, or simply use a DNS:
Solution #1:
public function wordpress()
{
$DB = $this->load->database('default', true);
$wp_db = $DB->get_where('dbtable', ['type_needed' => 'wordpress'])->row();
$db['wp_db'] = array(
'dsn' => '',
'hostname' => $wp_db->mysql_host,
'username' => $wp_db->mysql_user,
'password' => $wp_db->mysql_password,
'database' => $wp_db->mysql_db,
'dbdriver' => 'mysqli',
'dbprefix' => '',
'pconnect' => false,
'db_debug' => (ENVIRONMENT !== 'production'),
'cache_on' => false,
'cachedir' => '',
'char_set' => 'utf8',
'dbcollat' => 'utf8_general_ci',
'swap_pre' => '',
'encrypt' => false,
'compress' => false,
'stricton' => false,
'failover' => array(),
'save_queries' => true,
);
$this->WPDB = $this->load->database('wp_db', true);
}
Solution #1 gives "You have specified an invalid database connection group (wp_db) in your config/database.php file." error
Solution #2:
$DB = $this->load->database('default', true);
$wp_db = $DB->get_where('dbtable', ['type_needed' => 'wordpress'])->row();
$wp_dns = "mysql://$wp_db->mysql_user:$wp_db->mysql_password#$wp_db->mysql_host/$wp_db->mysql_db";
$this->WPDB = $this->load->database($wp_dns, true);
Solution #2 gives a "Invalid DB Connection String" error
Ps: I'm moving to Laravel, but this project was built with CI already :)

Answer 1

the only thing you've to change in your function is the following
public function wordpress()
{
$DB = $this->load->database('default', true);
$wp_db = $DB->get_where('dbtable', ['type_needed' => 'wordpress'])->row();
$arrDbData = array(
'dsn' => '',
'hostname' => $wp_db->mysql_host,
'username' => $wp_db->mysql_user,
'password' => $wp_db->mysql_password,
'database' => $wp_db->mysql_db,
'dbdriver' => 'mysqli',
'dbprefix' => '',
'pconnect' => false,
'db_debug' => (ENVIRONMENT !== 'production'),
'cache_on' => false,
'cachedir' => '',
'char_set' => 'utf8',
'dbcollat' => 'utf8_general_ci',
'swap_pre' => '',
'encrypt' => false,
'compress' => false,
'stricton' => false,
'failover' => array(),
'save_queries' => true,
);
$this->WPDB = $this->load->database($arrDbData, true);
}

Answer 2

I found out Solution #2 is working but due to the dns connection which is a STRING you are to make sure the password is made of letters and numbers and NO SYMBOLS otherwise it screws up the string and does not read properly.
In my case the password was this one iidf#q0RDTh#)CrPo5PDLeVe so dashes and parenthesis created a problem where CI could not read the whole password.