Method in one controller calling a method in another controller, using MVC - php

Question

so i have a user controller, that has methods to update profile, etc. In the system i am developing the user would need to post articles, etc. So i am confused with the design of the system. The main logic of creating articles would be housed under the article_model. But how should i call the methods?
I can create a function in the user controller that calls on the article model to create article?
I can call a method in the user controller and create an article controller and the user controller calls the method on the article controller, which in turns call the model for the main logic.
Or just directly call on a article controller that connects to the article model.
I personally feel i need to have a user controller into this system, as logically speaking a user creates article. So which design is perfect in terms of logic and best practices.

Answer 1

You can load multiple models in a controller, you’re not just restricting to the model in the same domain as the controller. So if you need to interface with articles in the users controller, then just load the articles model. As deceze says, you shouldn’t call other controllers in one controller; that definitely goes against MVC conventions.
In your case, any interaction with an article should be in the articles controller though, accessible at a URL like /articles/add.

Answer 2

I actually use codeigniter and they do it this way. If you want to post an article from your user or profile controller you can just make an instance or load your model.
class ProfileController extends BaseController {
public function __construct()
{
$this->load->model('article_model');
}
public function index(){
$this->article_model->post();
}
}

Answer 3

don't call a controller from another controller
you can add link to any view called with the profile that reefers to add article
if you have to call the controller from another you may have a look at codeigniter hmvc
HMVC: an Introduction and Application

Answer 4

Try to use this extension HMVC for CI. It's allow to call controller methods in another controllers. Something like this:
class Dashboard extends MX_Controller{
public $autoload = array();
public function __construct()
{
parent::__construct();
}
public function index()
{
$params = 'some_params';
$data['some_data'] = Modules::run('another_controller/method', $params);
}
}
Where another_controller - simple CI controller, what expand MX_Controller.