php - How to properly use models to print an elegant outcome -

i've super new codeigniter 3 , i'm using build task manager (claritask.com). also, i'm starting learn how program, forgive me beforehand if i'm not making sense , i'll try clarify in comments.

as i'm building specific project page lists specifc tasks, curious know if i'm doing right.

what need on view is: tasks belonging specific project & name of project. can work fine, want learn if way of doing correct.

i'm using 2 various methods

the first method i'm using, deals having 2 functions on model, triggering 2 queries:

// show project tasks function get_tasks($project_id) {     $this->db->from('tasks');     $this->db->where('tasks.project_id', $project_id);     $this->db->order_by('tasks.created_date', 'desc');     return $this->db->get()->result_array();     }  // show single project name function get_single_project($project_id) {     $this->db->from('projects');     $this->db->where('projects.id', $project_id);     return $this->db->get()->row_array();    } 

then on controller

$data['tasks'] = $this->project_model->get_tasks($project_id); $data['project_name'] = $this->project_model->get_single_project($project_id)['project_name']; 

this working expected, , producing elegant array (especially on projects without tasks).

array (   'tasks' =>    array (   ),   'project_name' => 'default name', ) 

however didn't triggering 2 different queries, decided join projects tasks , have 1 hit database, such:

// show project tasks function get_project_tasks($project_id) {     $this->db->select("tasks.*, projects.project_name");     $this->db->from('projects');     $this->db->where('projects.id', $project_id);     $this->db->join('tasks', 'tasks.project_id = projects.id', "left");     $this->db->order_by('tasks.created_date', 'desc');     return $this->db->get()->result_array();     } 

and controller:

$data['tasks'] = $this->project_model->get_project_tasks($project_id); $data['project_name'] = $data['tasks'][0]['project_name']; 

while second approach using 1 query only, it's producing "empty" array (below) on projects without tasks , causing print @ least 1 empty line within 'foreach'.

array (   'tasks' =>    array (     0 =>      array (       'id' => null,       'project_id' => null,       'list_id' => null,       'task_text' => null,       'task_due_date' => null,       'created_by' => null,       'created_date' => null,       'project_name' => 'website design',     ),   ),   'project_name' => 'website design', ) 

even though, i'm mitigating that, following:

<?php foreach($tasks $task) { ?>     <?php if(isset($task['id'])): ?>         <div><?php echo $task['task_text']; ?></div>     <?php endif; ?> <?php } ?> 

even though there thousands of ways skin cat, know approach correct one: having specific query each element , printing elegant output, or optimizing outcome.

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