Laravel - How to call a controller function via AJAX (jQuery) - ajax

Question

I have a number of working controller functions, however, for usability I want to switch some of them over to be called via AJAX.
Here is my jQuery code:
$.ajax({
method: 'GET',
url: $(this).data('url'),
data: {},
success: function( response ){
console.log( response );
},
error: function( e ) {
console.log(e);
}
});
And here is my controller function:
public function add( $user_id, $project_id )
{
$project = Project::findOrFail( $project_id );
if( empty( $project ) ) {
return view( 'home' )->with('message', 'Sorry, user not found');
}
if ( $project->user_id != $user_id ) {
$scrapbook = Scrapbook::firstOrNew(['user_id' => $user_id]);
$scrapbook->save();
$scrapbook->projects()->attach($project_id);
return true;
} else {
return false;
}
}
As it stands, the controller function actually does what it is supposed to (adds a project to a scrapbook). But what it returns is causing the AJAX request to class as an error so I am unable to handle this correctly. I assume I am supposed to return some kind of response object but I don't know what this is or what it needs to include.

Answer 1

You can simply return an array containing whether it is success or it is failed.
$output_data = ['response' => true, 'message' => 'request is successful.' ];
$output_data = ['response' => false, 'message' => 'error message for user.' ];
return $output_data;
This will return control in success block of ajax.
You can check there is the response is true or false and execute the code accordingly.

Answer 2

You may return a json response on success:
public function add( $user_id, $project_id )
{
// Other code ...
$isSuccess = false;
if ($project->user_id != $user_id) {
$scrapbook = Scrapbook::firstOrNew(['user_id' => $user_id]);
if ($isSuccess = $scrapbook->save()) {
// only attach it if successfully saved
$scrapbook->projects()->attach($project_id);
}
}
return response()->json([
'success' => $isSuccess
]);
}
So in your ajax response you can check:
success: function( response ){
console.log( response.success ); // true or false
}

Answer 3

You need to return a json response using json() fucntion
return response()->json(true);
or if want to send additional data back
return response()->json([
'message' => 'successfull',
'items' =>$insertedItems
],200);
or on fail
return response()->json(['error'=>'error text'],$statusCode)

Answer 4

In Routes:
Route::get('/url', 'controller_name#controller_function');
Ajax:
$.ajax({
method: 'GET',
url: 'url',
data: {},
success: function( response ){
console.log( response );
},
error: function( e ) {
console.log(e);
}
});
In response , send json:
return response()->json(['message' => 'successfull'],200);