public static function shortenit($url, $custom = null, $api = null)
 {
     if (empty($api) === false || Input::is_ajax() === true) {
         $ajax = true;
     } else {
         $ajax = false;
     }
     if ($url[strlen($url) - 1] == "/") {
         $url = substr($url, 0, -1);
     }
     if (!preg_match("/^(ht|f)t(p|ps)\\:\\/\\//si", $url)) {
         $url = "http://" . $url;
     }
     $length = strlen($url);
     $count = 0;
     $user_id = 0;
     if (empty($api) === false && $api !== true) {
         $user = \Model\Auth_Metadata::query()->where('key', 'api_key')->where('value', $api)->get_one();
         if (empty($user) === false) {
             $user_id = $user->id;
         } else {
             echo 'Not a valid API Key!';
         }
     } else {
         $user_id = static::$user_id;
     }
     if (empty($user_id) === true) {
         $user_id = 0;
     }
     if (empty($custom) === false) {
         $short_url = str_replace(" ", "", $custom);
         $found_url = Model_Url::query()->where('short_url', $short_url)->get_one();
         if (empty($found_url) === false) {
             if ($ajax === true) {
                 echo 'Custom Short URL already taken , choose a differnt name';
                 die;
             } else {
                 Session::set('error', 'Custom Short URL already taken , choose a differnt name');
                 Response::Redirect(Uri::Base());
             }
         }
         $custom = true;
     } else {
         $custom = false;
         $success = false;
         while ($success === false) {
             $short_url = Controller_Url::generate_url();
             $found_url = Model_Url::query()->where('short_url', $short_url)->get_one();
             if (empty($found_url) === true) {
                 $success = true;
             }
         }
     }
     $new_url = Model_Url::Forge(array('short_url' => $short_url, 'url' => $url, 'hits' => 0, 'custom' => $custom, 'user_id' => $user_id));
     if ($new_url->save()) {
         if ($ajax === false) {
             Session::set('success', 'Url has been shortened!');
         }
     } else {
         if ($ajax === true) {
             echo 'Unknown Error';
             die;
         } else {
             Session::set('error', 'Unknown Error');
             Response::Redirect(Uri::Base());
         }
     }
     return $new_url;
 }