How do I call this function in CodeIgniter controller?

I've got this code, but I'm not sure I make it work:

/**
 * Function: youtube data grabber
 *
 * @description :
 * @param  $ : video code, url type (embed/url)
 * @return : data array
 * @author : Mamun.
 * @last -modified-by: Mamun.
 */

if (! function_exists('youtube_data_grabber'))
        {

                function youtube_data_grabber($video_code, $link_type = "embed")
                {
                        if ($video_code != '')
                        {
                            if ($link_type == "embed")
                            {
                                $splited_data = explode("=",$video_code);
                                $video_unique_code = substr(strrchr($splited_data[4],"/"),1,-strlen(strrchr($splited_data[4],"&")));

                            }
                            else if ($link_type == "url")
                            {
                                $splited_data = explode("=",$video_code);
                                $video_unique_code = substr($splited_data[1],0,-strlen(strrchr($splited_data[1],"&")));
                            }
                            else
                 开发者_如何学运维           {
                                return;
                            }

                                // set feed URL
                                $feedURL = 'http://gdata.youtube.com/feeds/api/videos/'.$video_unique_code;

                                // read feed into SimpleXML object
                                $sxml = simplexml_load_file($feedURL);

                            return $sxml;
                        }

                }
        } // End Youtube Function

I'm not sure how to activate it is what I'm trying to say. I placed it in the controller and it's within a function for one of my pages. I don't have any syntax errors. I just don't know how to wake it up and make it work. I thought I could just put youtube_data_grabber('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAcrFym10ZI', 'url'); but that didn't work.

I got the code from this blog, and I have the zend functionality working. I tested it earlier and had no errors. I'm just having trouble with this youtube part.

Any ideas?

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That code should go in a helper or plugin not in the controller. The first part of the code on that page should be in your controller. The one you pasted is just an alternate version.

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Save your code to application/helpers/youtube_helper.php, then in your controller go ahead and call $this->load->helper('youtube').

Only then will your youtube_data_grabber() function be available.