Splitting Eloquent methods between model and controller? - laravel

Question

I have this code in a Controller:
public function getStock(Request $request){
$laptops = new Laptop;
$laptops->addJoins();
$laptops->filterResults($request);
return $laptops->get();
}
In the laptops Model I have:
public function addJoins() {
$this->Join('locations', 'locations.id', '=', 'laptops.location_id');
$this->Join('models', 'models.id', '=', 'laptops.model_id');
$this->Join('types', 'types.id', '=', 'models.type');
$this->leftJoin('statuses', 'status.id', '=', 'laptops.status');
$this->leftJoin('earmarks', 'earmarks.laptop', '=', 'laptop.id');
}
public function filterResults($request) {
if ($request->stock) {
$this->where('locations.stock', 0);
}
if ($request->loc) {
$this->where('laptops.location_id', $request->loc);
}
}
The problem is I receive all laptop records, and the filtering from URL parameters doesn't appear to be working at all. Am I barking up the wrong tree with this structure (I'm very new to Laravel)?

Answer 1

The filtering isn't working because running your queries on $this will result in unwanted behavior, this is what local scopes are for. See the documentation for them here:
https://laravel.com/docs/master/eloquent#local-scopes
In your case it would be:
Your Laptop model:
public function scopeAddJoins($query)
{
return $query->join('locations', 'locations.id', '=', 'laptops.location_id')
->join('models', 'models.id', '=', 'laptops.model_id')
->join('types', 'types.id', '=', 'models.type')
->leftJoin('statuses', 'status.id', '=', 'laptops.status')
->leftJoin('earmarks', 'earmarks.laptop', '=', 'laptop.id');
}
public function scopeFilterResults($query, $request)
{
if ($request->has('stock')) {
$query->where('locations.stock', 0);
}
if ($request->has('loc')) {
$query->where('laptops.location_id', $request->input('loc'));
}
return $query;
}
Then you can do this in your Controller:
public function getStock(Request $request)
{
return Laptop::addJoins()->filterResults($request)->get();
}

Answer 2

Instead of reinventing the wheel I'd recommend you to change structure. Skinny controller, fat model. The good practice is to keep controllers as thin as possible, so my controller would look like this:
public function getStock(Request $request)
{
return view('laptop.index', [
'laptops' => Laptop::getAllLaptops($request->all())
]);
}
Also, use Eloquent and scopes for filtering etc. All data related logic would be in model:
public function getAllLaptops($data)
{
return $this->with('locations', 'models', 'types', 'statuses', 'earmarks')->search($data)->get();
}

Answer 3

My first thought is that $request->stock and $request->loc does not have any value in your URL parameters. If you are calling the route this way:
http://www.yoursite.com/yourpath?stock&loc
Instead, try to use it this way:
http://www.yoursite.com/yourpath?stock=1&loc=1
The point is to give them some value.