Refactoring Controller to Model in Code Igniter - php

Question

It's come to my attention that my image processing code that I currently have in my controller would be better suited in a model, but I'm not sure even where to start to do this.
I have a controller that handles uploading an image, renaming the file and storing it in the database using Doctrine:
<?php
class Addimage extends Controller
{
function index()
{
$vars['content_view'] = 'uploadimage';
$this->load->view('template', $vars);
}
public function do_upload()
{
$this->load->library('form_validation');
if($this->_submit_validate() == FALSE)
{
/*THIS CODE BLOCK IS DUPLICATED FROM MY HOME PAGE CONTROLLER - this is one of the reasons I want to refactor.*/
$vars['recentimages'] = Doctrine_Query::create()
->select('photo_path')
->from('Gif g')
->orderBy('g.created_at DESC')
->limit(12)
->execute();
$vars['title'] = 'Home';
$vars['content_view'] = 'welcome_message';
$this->load->view('template_front', $vars);
}
else
{
$basedir = $this->config->item('server_root') . $this->config->item('upload_dir');
//If the directory doesn't already exist, create it.
if (!is_dir($basedir))
{
mkdir($basedir, 0777);
}
$config = array(
'allowed_types' => "gif",
'upload_path' => $basedir,
'remove_spaces' => true
);
$this->load->library('upload', $config);
if(!$this->upload->do_upload())
{
$data['error'] = 'There was a problem with the upload';
}
else
{
$image_data = $this->upload->data();
$fileName = $image_data['file_name'];
$title = $this->input->post('title');
//Rename File based on how many of that letter
//are already in the database
$imageCount = Doctrine_Query::create()
->select('COUNT(i.id) as num_images')
->from('Gif i')
->execute();
$imageCount = $imageCount[0]->num_images++;
//Rename file based on title and number of images in db.
$newFileName = preg_replace('/[^a-zA-Z0-9\s]/', '', $title) . '_' . $imageCount . $image_data['file_ext'];
rename($basedir . $fileName, $basedir . $newFileName);
$gif = new Gif();
$gif->photo_path = $newFileName;
$gif->title = $title;
if(Current_User::user())
{
$gif->User = Current_User::user();
}
else
{
$gif->User = Doctrine::getTable('User')->findOneById($this->config->item('anonuid'));
}
$gif->save();
}
redirect('/', 'location');
}
}
private function _submit_validate()
{
$this->form_validation->set_rules('title', 'Title', 'required');
return $this->form_validation->run();
}
}
I would like to be able to have most of this in a model, because I'm using a template system for the views where my uploadimage.php view is just the upload form so that it can be dropped on any page. Also, I only have experience using Doctrine models.
Thanks for any help in advance

Answer 1

I had a very similar issue on my own project: duplication in the controllers. I think in your case it makes sense to only move parts of that logic into the model, because most of it actually makes sense to be in a controller.
Rendering view definitely should be in a controller, and input validation as well. I would move the transactional part to the model: the SQL, file handling and image manipulation.
You will then still have some duplication but I see no other way since controller logic and model logic are so interwoven in this case.