added elements() to the Array Helper to return elements from an array with specified keys only. Differs from array_intersect_assoc() in that a default value can be provided for keys that do not exist in the supplied array
diff --git a/system/helpers/array_helper.php b/system/helpers/array_helper.php
index bd30b7c..447ee1a 100644
--- a/system/helpers/array_helper.php
+++ b/system/helpers/array_helper.php
@@ -73,6 +73,46 @@
}
}
+// --------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/**
+ * Elements
+ *
+ * Returns only the array items specified. Will return a default value if
+ * it is not set.
+ *
+ * @access public
+ * @param array
+ * @param array
+ * @param mixed
+ * @return mixed depends on what the array contains
+ */
+if ( ! function_exists('elements'))
+{
+ function elements($items, $array, $default = FALSE)
+ {
+ $return = array();
+
+ if ( ! is_array($items))
+ {
+ $items = array($items);
+ }
+
+ foreach ($items as $item)
+ {
+ if (isset($array[$item]))
+ {
+ $return[$item] = $array[$item];
+ }
+ else
+ {
+ $return[$item] = $default;
+ }
+ }
+
+ return $return;
+ }
+}
/* End of file array_helper.php */
/* Location: ./system/helpers/array_helper.php */
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/user_guide/changelog.html b/user_guide/changelog.html
index 8a275dd..8c05257 100644
--- a/user_guide/changelog.html
+++ b/user_guide/changelog.html
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@
<li>If CSRF is enabled in the application config file, <kbd>form_open()</kbd> will automatically insert it as a hidden field.</li>
<li>Added <kbd>sanitize_filename()</kbd> into the <a href="./helpers/security_helper.html">Security helper</a>.</li>
<li>Added <kbd>ellipsize()</kbd> to the <a href="./helpers/text_helper.html">Text Helper</a></li>
+ <li>Added <kbd>elements()</kbd> to the <a href="./helpers/array_helper.html">Array Helper</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Other Changes
diff --git a/user_guide/helpers/array_helper.html b/user_guide/helpers/array_helper.html
index c0bdd78..6d95c4a 100644
--- a/user_guide/helpers/array_helper.html
+++ b/user_guide/helpers/array_helper.html
@@ -100,7 +100,58 @@
echo random_element($quotes);</code>
+<h2>elements()</h2>
+<p>Lets you fetch a number of items from an array. The function tests whether each of the array indices is set. If an index does not exist
+it is set to FALSE, or whatever you've specified as the default value via the third parameter. Example:</p>
+
+<code>
+$array = array(<br />
+ 'color' => 'red',<br />
+ 'shape' => 'round',<br />
+ 'radius' => '10',<br />
+ 'diameter' => '20'<br />
+);<br />
+<br />
+$my_shape = elements(array('color', 'shape', 'height'), $array);<br />
+</code>
+
+<p>The above will return the following array:</p>
+
+<code>
+array(<br />
+ 'color' => 'red',<br />
+ 'shape' => 'round',<br />
+ 'height' => FALSE<br />
+);
+</code>
+
+<p>You can set the third parameter to any default value you like:</p>
+
+<code>
+$my_shape = elements(array('color', 'shape', 'height'), $array, NULL);<br />
+</code>
+
+<p>The above will return the following array:</p>
+
+<code>
+array(<br />
+ 'color' => 'red',<br />
+ 'shape' => 'round',<br />
+ 'height' => NULL<br />
+);
+</code>
+
+<p>This is useful when sending the <kbd>$_POST</kbd> array to one of your Models. This prevents users from
+sending additional POST data to be entered into your tables:</p>
+
+<code>
+$this->load->model('post_model');<br />
+<br />
+$this->post_model->update(elements(array('id', 'title', 'content'), $_POST));
+</code>
+
+<p>This ensures that only the id, title and content fields are sent to be updated.</p>
</div>
<!-- END CONTENT -->