if form field input is empty than do not update in database CodeIgniter

Question

I have a form with 8 input fields. Now I don't want to update a field in the database if it's left empty.

This are the fields that I like to check. if empty do not update them and leave the original value. How to do this?

This is my function in my controller

function update_profile(){

    $data = array(
            'name' => $this->input->post('name'),
            'email' => $this->input->post('email'),
            'telefoon' => $this->input->post('telefoon'),
            'gsm' => $this->input->post('gsm'),
            'facebook' => $this->input->post('facebook'),
            'twitter' => $this->input->post('twitter'),
            'portfolio' => $this->input->post('portfolio'),
            'profilefoto' => $this->input->post('browse')
            );
    $this->kdg_model->update_profile($data);
}

My model

function update_profile($data) {
    $session_id = $this->session->userdata('user');
    $this->db->where('user', $session_id);
    $this->db->update('user', $data);
}

Answer 1

Just remove the field from your main array and check it in a different way.

Let's assume that this is your $data array:

$data = array(
    'naam' => $this->input->post('naam'),
    'email' => $this->input->post('email'),
    'telefoon' => $this->input->post('telefoon'),
    'gsm' => $this->input->post('gsm'),
    'facebook' => $this->input->post('facebook'),
    'twitter' => $this->input->post('twitter'),
    'portfolio' => $this->input->post('portfolio'),
    'profielfoto' => $this->input->post('browse')
); 

and about not_update_if_blank, all you need to do is check it after the $data array:

if( $this->input->post('not_update_if_blank') != "" )
{
    $data['not_update_if_blank'] = $this->input->post('not_update_if_blank');
}

now you can pass $data to your model.

EDIT:

$post_array = $this->input->post();
foreach( $post_array as $key=>$value )
{
    if(trim($value)!= "")
    {
       $data[$key] = $value;
    }
}

now pass $data to your model.
NB: test the code because I haven't tested it!