hardUrl helper function

hardCreateUrl.php

<?php
    /**
     * Generate an external URL with scheme, hostname and etc. under any(?) circumstances
     *
     * @param mixed $url Specs for the url, as CHtml::normalizeUrl() would expect
     * @param string $scheme 'http' or 'https'
     * @throws CException on missing 'extBaseUrl' app param in non-webapp context
     * @return string
     */
    public static function hardUrl($url, $scheme = 'http') {
        $app = Yii::app();
        if (is_array($url)) {
            if (isset($url[0])) {
                $creator = $app->getController();
                if ($creator === null) {
                    $creator = $app;
                }
                $url = $creator->createUrl($url[0], array_splice($url, 1));
            } else {
                $url = '';
            }
        }
        if ($app instanceof CWebApplication && isset($_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'])) {
            $request = $app->getRequest();
            $base = $request->getHostInfo($scheme) . $request->getBaseUrl();
        } else {
            if (!isset($app->params['extBaseUrl'])) {
                throw new CException(
                    'Cannot create URL. Set "extBaseUrl" in application params array.'
                );
            } else {
                $base = $app->params['extBaseUrl'];
                if (isset($base[$scheme])) {
                    $base = $base[$scheme];
                }
            }
        }
        return rtrim($base, '/') . '/' . ltrim($url, '/');
    }