codeigniter - database : how to update multiple tables with a single update query

Question

I saw this on the codeigniter forum

Considering the below code

UPDATE a
INNER JOIN b USING (id)
SET a.firstname='Pekka', a.lastname='Kuronen',
b.companyname='Suomi Oy',b.companyaddress='Mannerheimtie 123, Helsinki Suomi'
WHERE a.id=1; 

This is how you would apparently do it in Codeigniter

$this->db->set('a.firstname', 'Pekka');
$this->db->set('a.lastname', 'Kuronen');
$this->db->set('b.companyname', 'Suomi Oy');
$this->db->set('b.companyaddress', 'Mannerheimtie 123, Helsinki Suomi');
$this->db->where('a.id', 1);
$this->db->join('table2 as b', 'a.id = b.id');
$this->db->update('table as a');

this does not work in reality. I have had a look a the SQL which this produces and the results do not even mention the join.

Does anyone have any idea how to do an update with a join using Codeigniter's Active Record Database Class?

Answer 1

One solution I have found is to remove the join altogether and move the join condition into a 'where' function, also you will need to change the update string to include the new table.

$this->db->set('a.firstname', 'Pekka');
$this->db->set('a.lastname', 'Kuronen');
$this->db->set('b.companyname', 'Suomi Oy');
$this->db->set('b.companyaddress', 'Mannerheimtie 123, Helsinki Suomi');

$this->db->where('a.id', 1);
$this->db->where('a.id = b.id');
$this->db->update('table as a, table2 as b');

Answer 2

Using two separate queries within a transaction should solve your problem. If a query fails the other one gets rolled back.