How to get Id field in laravel store function using query builder? - laravel

Question

I'm trying to do a create function in laravel crud controller and I need to get the id of categories to store a new subcategory.
In my categories table on mysql db I have the name field and a father id that represent the father category, I'm making a function to create new subcategories but i'm not able to retrieve the father id
My controller:
{
$request->validate([
'name' => 'required|max:100',
//User insert the name of the father category
'category' => 'exists:categories,name'
]);
$category = new Category();
//I try to extract id from table
$father_id = Category::where('name', '=', $request->input('category'))->value('id');
$category->name = $request->input('name');
$category->father_id = $father_id;
$category->save();
// return $father_id;
return redirect()->route('categories.index')->with('success', 'category added successfully');
}
when I try to return 'father_id' variable is empty

Answer 1

I suggest you build your form using either Categories selection with category's id as value.
This will eliminate possibility your user input a random category name.
And at the same time your problem will be solved because you will get category Id directly from user input / submitted data.
Example
<select name="category_id">
<option value="0">No parent category</option>
<option value="1">Category 1</option>
<option value="2">Category 2</option>
....
</select>
And inside your controller
{
$validated = $request->validate([
'name' => 'required|max:100',
'category_id' => 'integer|exists:categories,id'
]);
// optional here you can add extra checker if combination already exists.
// lets create users's new Category
$category = Category::create([
'name' => $validated['name'],
'father_id' => $validated['category_id'],
]);
return redirect()
->route('categories.index')
->with('success', 'New category is added successfully');
}
Note: there might be error using current validation if category_id is 0