Laravel ErrorException using file_get_contents() - laravel-5

Question

Hello guys i'm new to laravel and I have this error. I don't really know what this is at all so i hope someone could help me and solve it!
E/errror: {
"message": "file_get_contents(https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/directions/json?origin=**.89**9029,**.8584**5&destination=**.897**1522708,**.858512**80171&mode=driving&key=**********): failed to open stream: Connection timed out",
"exception": "ErrorException",
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/app/Http/Controllers/Helper/GoogleController.php",
"line": 99,
"trace": [
{
"function": "handleError",
"class": "Illuminate\\Foundation\\Bootstrap\\HandleExceptions",
"type": "->"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/app/Http/Controllers/Helper/GoogleController.php",
"line": 99,
"function": "file_get_contents"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/app/Http/Controllers/Api/BookingController.php",
"line": 1854,
"function": "GoogleDistanceAndTime",
"class": "App\\Http\\Controllers\\Helper\\GoogleController",
"type": "::"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/app/Http/Controllers/Api/BookingController.php",
"line": 1831,
"function": "EtaCalculation",
"class": "App\\Http\\Controllers\\Api\\BookingController",
"type": "->"
},
{
"function": "Tracking",
"class": "App\\Http\\Controllers\\Api\\BookingController",
"type": "->"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Routing/Controller.php",
"line": 54,
"function": "call_user_func_array"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Routing/ControllerDispatcher.php",
"line": 45,
"function": "callAction",
"class": "Illuminate\\Routing\\Controller",
"type": "->"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Routing/Route.php",
"line": 219,
"function": "dispatch",
"class": "Illuminate\\Routing\\ControllerDispatcher",
"type": "->"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Routing/Route.php",
"line": 176,
"function": "runController",
"class": "Illuminate\\Routing\\Route",
"type": "->"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Routing/Router.php",
"line": 680,
"function": "run",
"class": "Illuminate\\Routing\\Route",
"type": "->"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Routing/Pipeline.php",
"line": 30,
"function": "Illuminate\\Routing\\{closure}",
"class": "Illuminate\\Routing\\Router",
"type": "->"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/app/Http/Middleware/ValidUser.php",
"line": 25,
"function": "Illuminate\\Routing\\{closure}",
"class": "Illuminate\\Routing\\Pipeline",
"type": "->"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Pipeline/Pipeline.php",
"line": 163,
"function": "handle",
"class": "App\\Http\\Middleware\\ValidUser",
"type": "->"
},
{
"file": "/home/**/domains/**.tech/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Routing/Pipeline.php",
"line": 53,
"function": "Illuminate\\Pipeline\\{closure}",
"class": "Illuminate\\Pipeline\\Pipeline",
"type
responseFromServerError
And this is the function inside laravel:
App / Http / Controllers /Helper / GoogleController.php
I'm really lost don't know what happened
public static function GoogleDistanceAndTime($from, $to, $key)
{
$data = file_get_contents("https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/directions/json?origin=$from&destination=$to&mode=driving&key=$key");
$data = json_decode($data, true);
$status = $data['status'];
if ($status != "OK") {
return array('time' => "", 'distance' => "");
} else {
$time = $data['routes'][0]['legs'][0]['duration']['text'];
$distance = $data['routes'][0]['legs'][0]['distance']['text'];
return array('time' => $time, 'distance' => $distance);
}
}
Ask me to show anything you need. Thanks!

Answer 1

Have a look at the comments on the answer to this stack overflow question: https://stackoverflow.com/a/9802864/141708
It is likely that fopen wrappers are disabled on your php installation and you should instead use curl_exec to call the service. Info on using the curl capabilities in php are here: https://php.net/manual/en/book.curl.php
Given you're using laravel you could also consider using a package within Laravel, again, check out this stack overflow question for options to do it that way: Doing HTTP requests FROM Laravel to an external API