Laravel 5.1, optional parameter causing blank page - laravel

Question

The concerning route:
Route::patch('admin/track/practice/{practice_id}/close-practice-session/{session_id}/{new?}', array(
'as' => 'close-practice-session',
'uses' => 'AdminController#closePracticeSession'
));
new is an optional route parameter.
The Controller method:
public function closePracticeSession($club, $practice_id, $session_id, $new = null)
{
$clubDetails = new ClubDetails();
$club_id = $clubDetails->getClubID($club);
date_default_timezone_set(config('app.timezone'));
$CurrentTime = date("Y-m-d H:i:s");
try
{
DB::table('practice_sessions')
->where('id', $session_id)
->where('club_id', $club_id)
->update(['is_current' => 0, 'updated_at' => $CurrentTime]);
if ($new == 'Y')
{
return redirect()->action('AdminController#getTrackPracticeSession', [$club, $practice_id]);
}
else
{
return redirect()->action('AdminController#getTrackPracticeSession', [$club, $practice_id, $session_id])
->with(array('success'=>'Practice was successfully closed.'));
}
}
catch(\Exception $e)
{
return view('errors.500')->with(self::getRequiredData($club))->with('error', $e->getMessage());
}
}
I have two forms on my view, one has the optional parameter, one doesn't.
When I click on the button on the form which has the optional parameter, I am getting a BLANK screen.
Here are some strange things:
No error message. Checked the laravel.log
Even if I remove all the logic from the controller method and do a
simple var_dump, I still get a blank screen
When I click on the button without the optional parameter, it
behaves as expected
I have been trying for the last two days to resolve this without any luck. I have even tried to make the {new} parameter mandatory. Anytime I am passing the last parameter, I am getting a blank screen.
Any idea? I am sure I am doing something silly. Just can't see it.
Update (the two forms on the view) - the csrf token is in the header.
{!! Form::open([
'method' => 'PATCH',
'route' => ['close-practice-session', $alias, $practiceDetails[0]->practice_id, $practiceDetails[0]->id]
]) !!}
{!! Form::submit('Close Session', ['class' => 'btn btn-primary btn-sm', 'style' => 'width: 160px;margin-left: 0px!important']) !!}
{!! Form::close() !!}
<!-- #2 -->
{!! Form::open([
'method' => 'PATCH',
'route' => ['close-practice-session', $alias, $practiceDetails[0]->practice_id, $practiceDetails[0]->id, "Y"]
]) !!}
{!! Form::submit('Close + Create New', ['class' => 'btn btn-secondary btn-sm', 'style' => 'width: 160px;margin-left: 0px!important']) !!}
{!! Form::close() !!}

Answer 1

As per your route
Route::patch('admin/track/practice/{practice_id}/close-practice-session/{session_id}/{new?}', array(
'as' => 'close-practice-session',
'uses' => 'AdminController#closePracticeSession'
));
Your controller function should be like this
public function closePracticeSession(Request $request, $practice_id, $session_id, $new = null)
{
$clubDetails = new ClubDetails();
$club_id = $clubDetails->getClubID($club);
date_default_timezone_set(config('app.timezone'));
$CurrentTime = date("Y-m-d H:i:s");
try
{
DB::table('practice_sessions')
->where('id', $session_id)
->where('club_id', $club_id)
->update(['is_current' => 0, 'updated_at' => $CurrentTime]);
if ($new == 'Y')
{
return redirect()->action('AdminController#getTrackPracticeSession', [$club, $practice_id]);
}
else
{
return redirect()->action('AdminController#getTrackPracticeSession', [$club, $practice_id, $session_id])
->with(array('success'=>'Practice was successfully closed.'));
}
}
catch(\Exception $e)
{
return view('errors.500')->with(self::getRequiredData($club))->with('error', $e->getMessage());
}
}

Answer 2

Please take a look at this SO post. This gave me a hint to solve my problem. I had an identical GET route in my routes.php file. Once I modified my PATCH route to the following, everything is working as expected.
Route::patch('admin/close-practice-session/{practice_id}/{session_id}/{new?}', array(
'as' => 'close-practice-session',
'uses' => 'AdminController#closePracticeSession'
));