How implement a table_info of another table - php

Question

I'm trying to create a system more dynamic for my users, implementing a way of they create each necessary information when they needed. (Sorry if my english is weak)
First, I have a table named User, like this:
User:
id | name | login | password
1 | Rose | rose.120 | 897763
2 | John | john.red | 120347
3 | Mark | mark.foo | 385598
and the other table with some info of each user:
User_info:
id | user_id | info_name | value | required | order
6 | 1 | Telephone | 555-4083 | yes | 2
7 | 1 | Email | rose.120#g.com | yes | 1
8 | 1 | Another E-mail | rose.mg#fc.com | no | 3
When I get this values from the database, how make an efficient way to set a PHP Object, or an Array of this values.
I tried to make a mysql_query and with this result make a loop in the Object, and for any Row make a WHERE clause to the user id. (I'm using CodeIgniter)
if( $user != false ) $this->getUser();
foreach( $this->user->result() as $row ) {
$this->db->where('user_id', $row->id);
}
$this->db->from('user_info');
...
and when I have this Object I will need to put the User_info rows in the User Object. Correct?
I'm just curious if this is a good way of doing this, or I'm in the wrong way.
I hope that's clear.
Thanks.

Answer 1

Basically, yes. You could set up your model to define a method for retrieving information from both your user_info and user tables, however. Something along these lines:
// in user_model.php
function get_user_with_info() {
$user = $this->getUser();
$user['info'] = $this->db->where('user_id', $row->id)->from('user_info')->row();
return $user;
}
If you are planning to make this query often, you will quickly run into the N+1 problem. A better option in Codeigniter might be to use a table join in a get_users function:
function get_users() {
$this->db->select('*')
$this->db->from('user');
$this->db->join('user_info', 'user.id = user_info.user_id');
$results = $this->db->result();
$users = [];
foreach ($results as $result) {
$user_id = $result['user_id'];
if (!isset($users[$user_id])) {
$users[$user_id] = array(
'id' => $user_id,
'info' => array(
// add info fields from first result
)
);
} else {
$users[$user_id]['info'][] = array(
// add additional info fields
);
}
}
return $users;
}
You will need to adjust the specifics, but hopefully this gives somewhere to start.

Answer 2

Don't forget, in this way you must working with dynamic arrays in user object. Instead of fields named as "Telephone", "Email" and other, which you can access as $user->Telephone, $user->Email and other (this is a simple and I think a good way), you must create dynamic array with pairs $info_name->$value. And in "User" object you must create additional functionality, which parse each property $info_name. This is more flexible, but more complex.
So I think, you must find golden mean for you between flexibility and complexity.

Answer 3

While using code codeIgniter, make a function in your model file and put your code. Then, in the controller, call this function in the model and send your required parameter. You are using codeigniter then you have to follow the architecture too.