Controller / model separation, templating

[eluser]batfastad[/eluser]
Thanks for the reply. That's helped alot.

I'll try re-explaining #3.
I'm assuming that each time I run

Code:

$this->load->database();

a DB connection is created, as I have autoinit set to TRUE in my config

I have a constructor in each model which runs the above code and creates the connection.
Does this constructor only get fired when I call the first method in a model?
I assume the constructor won't fire when I make subsequent calls to methods in the model as the model class has already been constructed?

And a further question:
6) Do I use a view for all output, e.g.: if I'm outputting JSON, XML or an ical/vcard?
Or are views just for HTML?

Cheers, B