Codeigniter: Load model and controller result in Helper - php

Question

No idea what is the right way. But what I am trying to do is to make one helper function for positions list or dropdown (will set parameter for this) so that's how position list/dropdown can available to the entire system by writing single code `get_positions($type)'
The problem is not loading Model/Controller variables.
Error message:
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Notice
Message: Undefined variable: positions
Filename: helpers/content_helper.php
Line Number: 14
Helper
<?php if ( ! defined('BASEPATH')) exit('No direct script access allowed');
// Position List
if ( ! function_exists('get_positions'))
{
function get_positions()
{
$CI =& get_instance();
$CI->load->model('admin/hr/hr_model');
if(count($positions)):
echo form_open();
$array = array();
foreach($positions as $position):
$label[] = $position->label;
$pos[] = $position->position;
endforeach;
echo form_dropdown('positions', array_combine($pos, $label));
echo form_close();
endif;
}
}
Model
<?php (defined('BASEPATH')) OR exit('No direct script access allowed');
class HR_Model extends MY_Model
{
protected $_table_name = 'positions';
protected $_order_by = 'label ASC';
public $rules = array();
public function get_new()
{
$position = new stdClass();
$position->position = '';
$position->label = '';
return $position;
}
public function get_positions($id = NULL, $single = FALSE)
{
$this->db->get($this->_table_name);
return parent::get($id, $single);
}
}
Controller
<?php if ( ! defined('BASEPATH')) exit('No direct script access allowed');
class HR extends MX_Controller
{
public function __construct()
{
parent::__construct();
$this->load->model('admin/hr/hr_model');
}
public function index()
{
// Fetch all pages
$this->data['positions'] = $this->hr_model->get_positions();
// Load view
$this->load->view('hr/index', $this->data);
}
}
Eventually what I am looking is to create helper function which available to entire system by calling get_positions($type)

Answer 1

You have to define the $positions variable before if (count($positions)):. You should call the get_positions method from the Model.