Codeigniter -> 2 variables inside a controller - mysql

Question

I am trying to set up a filter on my website. Here, I am trying to pass (2) variables (neighborhood and business category). My problem is when only (1) of them is true and the other is false or one variable does not exist. I am trying to pull this data from my URL
mydomain.com/controller/function/neighbrohood/biz-category
which translates
mydomain.com/ny/find/$neighborhood/$biz_filter
When I have both variables then there is no problem.
How do I resolve the page with only 1 of the 2 variables there?
Here is my model:
public function search($neighborhood = null, $biz_filter = null) {
$neighborhood = $this->uri->segment(3);
$biz_filter = $this->uri->segment(4);
// SELECT
$this->db->select('*');
// MAIN TABLE TO GRAB DATA
$this->db->from('biz');
// TABLES TO JOIN
$this->db->join('city', 'city.city_id = biz.biz_cityID');
$this->db->join('zip', 'zip.zip_id = biz.biz_zipID', 'zip.zip_cityID = city.city_id');
$this->db->join('state', 'state.state_id = city.city_stateID');
$this->db->join('neighborhood', 'biz.biz_neighborhoodID = neighborhood.neighborhood_id');
$this->db->join('biz_filter', 'biz_filter.bizfilter_bizID = biz.biz_id');
$this->db->join('biz_category', 'biz_filter.bizfilter_bizcategoryID = biz_category.bizcategory_id');
// RETURN VARIABLES
$this->db->where('neighborhood.neighborhood_slug', $neighborhood);
$this->db->where('biz_category.bizcategory_slug', $biz_filter);
// ORDER OF THE RESULTS
$this->db->order_by('biz_name asc');
// RUN QUERY
$query = $this->db->get();
// IF MORE THAN 0 ROWS ELSE DISPLAY 404 ERROR PAGE
if($query->num_rows() > 0){
return $query;
} else {
show_404('page');
}
}
Example. Say I am looking for a Restaurant in Little Italy:
URL = mydomain.com/ny/find/little-italy/restuarants
This part, I can resolve the query correctly and display the data. The issue is when there is no neighborhood or no category, I cannot figure out how to resolve the data.
I am new to codeigniter and a self-taught programmer, trying to figure this out as I go. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

first of all it is optional to get the variables from the uri
$neighborhood = $this->uri->segment(3);
$biz_filter = $this->uri->segment(4);
You already have that from your function parameter.
You can check the condition where your $neighborhood or $biz_filter is available or not then you can use condition in your query.
Something like this
if($neighborhood) { // query for neighborhood } elseif($biz_filter) {}
Thanks

Answer 2

First of all you should get the variable values from your controller not your model, you should then pass such values to your controller from your model, its bad coding practice to allow your view interact with the model.
Also, if you want a value of "-" set for the variable. You should set "-" as the return value right from the parameters being passed to the controller.
What you should do is go to your controller and give it the two parameters, set default values for both and also go to your model and make it receive two parameters also, pass the parameters to the model when calling from the controller. Then get back if there are any more errors.