How to Insert data into some other database in codeigniter - mysql

Question

I have a requirement I need to insert data into two tables of different databases..
$insert_query = 'INSERT INTO table1 (col1, col2) values(1, 2)';
$insert_otherdb_query= 'INSERT INTO otherdb.table1 (col1, col2) values(1, 2)';
$this->db->query($insert_query); //works fine
$this->db->query($insert_otherdb_query); //doesn't work
Error
Table 'mydb.otherdb.table1' doesn't exist
It does not ignore the mydb which is my default database...
Any suggesstions ?

Answer 1

You have to define a second set of database parameters. CI isn’t developed to really have two DB connections though, it is more for swapping test and production dbases. That said there are some tricks around it. So first define a second set of DB info like so:
/* FORUM */
$active_group = "forum";
$active_record = TRUE;
$db['forum']['hostname'] = "xxxxx";
$db['forum']['username'] = "xxxxx";
$db['forum']['password'] = "xxxxx";
$db['forum']['database'] = "xxxxx";
$db['forum']['dbdriver'] = "mysql";
$db['forum']['dbprefix'] = "";
$db['forum']['pconnect'] = TRUE;
$db['forum']['db_debug'] = TRUE;
$db['forum']['cache_on'] = FALSE;
$db['forum']['cachedir'] = "";
$db['forum']['char_set'] = "utf8";
$db['forum']['dbcollat'] = "utf8_general_ci";
/* TEST SITE */
$active_group = "default";
$active_record = TRUE;
$db['default']['hostname'] = "xxxxx";
$db['default']['username'] = "xxxxx";
$db['default']['password'] = "xxxxx";
$db['default']['database'] = "xxxxx";
$db['default']['dbdriver'] = "mysql";
$db['default']['dbprefix'] = "";
$db['default']['pconnect'] = TRUE;
$db['default']['db_debug'] = TRUE;
$db['default']['cache_on'] = FALSE;
$db['default']['cachedir'] = "";
$db['default']['char_set'] = "utf8";
$db['default']['dbcollat'] = "utf8_general_ci";
Your active db will be the one you defined LAST.
Once you have done this you can manually connect to the second one (or put it in MY_Controller if you always need to). You can then load your second database like so:
$this->other_db= $this->CI->load->database('forum', TRUE);
Access dbase 1 with $this->db and dbase 2 with $this->other_db (or whatever you called it).
thank you

Answer 2

Codeigniter internally connect to the database using settings from the database.php config file. Also you are using the same db object which has a connection to the first db, it will never work.
You may have several options to do this:
1) You can use Web services. Create a web service for the other database using CI and send data to that webservice. On the webservice side, insert the data in the database table. This is the most good way to use, as both code is separated and communication is only done by the web services. You can use SOAP or REST web services.
2) You can connect to other databases using direct php code. Use mysqli to connect to other db and run your queries in plane PHP code. Please note that doing so, you will be not able to use any db feature of the CI.
In my opinion, the first option will be a good thing, if there are lots of db operations on the second database, else use second.
Thank you

Answer 3

I got a better solution.
$dsn = 'mysql://user:password#localhost/db1';
$this->db1 = $this->load->database($dsn, true);
$dsn = 'mysql://user:password#localhost/db2';
$this->db2= $this->load->database($dsn, true);
$dsn = 'mysql://user:password#localhost/db3';
$this->db3= $this->load->database($dsn, true);
Usage
$this->db1 ->insert('tablename', $insert_array);
$this->db2->insert('tablename', $insert_array);
$this->db3->insert('tablename', $insert_array);

Answer 4

To connect manually to a desired database you can pass an array of values:
$config['hostname'] = "localhost";
$config['username'] = "myusername";
$config['password'] = "mypassword";
$config['database'] = "mydatabase";
$config['dbdriver'] = "mysql";
$config['dbprefix'] = "";
$config['pconnect'] = FALSE;
$config['db_debug'] = TRUE;
$config['cache_on'] = FALSE;
$config['cachedir'] = "";
$config['char_set'] = "utf8";
$config['dbcollat'] = "utf8_general_ci";
$this->load->database($config, true);
Access your table as usual without using database name.
Hope this helped you.
For more info, visit:
http://ellislab.com/codeigniter/user-guide/database/connecting.html
Any problems, let me know