Setting user_data in session giving different results - php

Question

Ok, so this one perplexes me.
When the user logs in I set the userdata in the session like so:
$data = array();
$data['email'] = $this->input->post('email');
// get the user's info where it matches their email in the db.
$user = $this->User_model->get_user($data);
$this->session->set_userdata('user_session', $user);
Now this works great. It creates user_session in the session data as an object. Which I'm ok with.
Then when the user updates their information, I want to reset the data in the user_session to match their new data. I do this like so:
$data = array(
'first_name' => $this->input->post('first_name'),
'last_name' => $this->input->post('last_name'),
'email' => $this->input->post('email'),
'phone' => $this->input->post('phone'),
'street1' => $this->input->post('street1'),
'street2' => $this->input->post('street2'),
'city' => $this->input->post('city'),
'state' => $this->input->post('state'),
'zip' => $this->input->post('zip'),
'password' => $encrypted_password,
'organizations_id' => $this->input->post('org_select')
);
$user = $this->User_model->get_user($data);
$this->session->set_userdata('user_session', $data);
Now the $data here is being used to update their information in the DB and then I reuse it to pull their data out via indexing at their email.
Lastly, here is the model method I use for both of them:
public function get_user($data)
{
return $this->db
->where('email', $data['email'])
->select('first_name, last_name, email, password, id, organizations_id')
->get('users')
->row();
}
This works but differently. Instead of giving me an object, it just gives me an array. Which causes a whole hell of a lot of problems elsewhere in my code.
How do I control wether or not it gives me an object or an array?
EDIT:
I realized an idiot move. I was sending $data instead of $user to my model when the user changed their information.
So I fixed the problem and now I get an object both times. But I still want to know how the two methods gave different results. That way I can control it in the future.
So with that being said, here is my OFFICIAL QUESTION:
How do I control the input of session data so that it is either an array or an object?

Answer 1

well the best option - make a field called uniqueid in your users table. when you create the user - generate a random string - that is your unique id - include it in the insert data.
create a new session - store only the unique id .
then when you update the Users table - the unique id in the session stays the same. you return the updated result to your controller and you don't have to fuss with the session.
a typical process after unique id is set:
get the unique id from session
search users table with unique id
users table returns an object (or array) containing the fields you need
use that user object in your app (not the session)
so we are only using the session cookie to store the unique id. and now we have options - if the user is submitting a form to update their profile then you can pass the unique id in a hidden form field. you get the unique id and you dont have to deal with cookies. again that is only for appropriate for scrambled unique id strings (not sequential ids).
edit: if you use a sequential id then suddenly you have opened up a security hole. it might not matter for this particular app, but i am recommending this approach because its so versatile.
another way to do this - especially if you have more complicated app where users are doing things and drawing from different tables. say if you need to accumulate or track what a user does through the session - you can have a table that oversees the session - and you use the unique id. then store the 'user' id - the sequential one - in the session table. you can then add more ids for other tables, date time, status, errors, totals, whatever -- for that session.
so then with the unique id - you get back an object say called $editsession with easy to get at values like $editsession->userid $editsession->storyid $editsession->status
// example get your user
if( ! $user = $this->user->_get($editsession->userid) ; )
{ $this->_error() ; }
else { $this->_showEditor($user) ;}
and this is a sample random string generator
$uniqueid = random_string( 'alnum', 10 );
finally note that i call the model just 'user' . even a month ago i would have added '_model' or '_m' to the model file name. but that is wrong - it just adds noise - so just get out of the habit now and your code will be much cleaner. all the files are clearly in a folder called models :-)