Helpers Laravel
A repository of Laravel specific helper classes to help standardise work. API helpers, converters etc.
Installation
The Langley Foxall Helpers Laravel package can be easily installed using Composer. Just run the following command from the root of your project.
composer require langleyfoxall/helpers-laravel
If you have never used the Composer dependency manager before, head to the Composer website for more information on how to get started.
Helpers
Models
The Models helper offers helpful functions to do with Eloquent Models.
Methods
All methods can be called statically.
all
Get a Collection of all models.
Example Usage
$collection_of_models = Models::all()
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | None |
Throws | None |
Returns | Collection |
utf8EncodeModel
Encodes attribute values of a single model to UTF-8, and returns the model.
Example Usage
$encoded_user = Models::utf8EncodeModels($user)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | Model |
Throws | None |
Returns | Model |
utf8EncodeModels
Encodes attribute values of mutliple models to UTF-8, and returns a collection of model.
Example Usage
$collection_of_encoded_users = Models::utf8EncodeModels($users)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | A Collection of Models |
Throws | None |
Returns | A Collection of Models |
getColumns
Get an Array of the database columns for a given model.
Example Usage
$columns = Models::getColumns($user)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | Model |
Throws | None |
Returns | Array |
getNextId
Get the next auto incremented ID for a model.
Example Usage
$next_id = Models::getNextId($user)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | Model |
Throws | Exception |
Returns | Integer |
areRelated
Check if an unspecificed number of models are related to each other.
Example Usage
If an instance of Model is passed, then areRelated
will attempt to get a plural then singular method from the model that can then be used by the previous model in the sequence to confirm that they are related. If an array is passed, it expects the first element to be an instance of Model and the second to be a string which is the relationship method
A NotRelatedException
is also provided to be used in an application.
$related = Models::areRelated($user, $post, [$comment, 'comments'])
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | Mutliple Models or Mutliple Array |
Throws | Exception or InvalidArgumentException |
Returns | Boolean |
randomByWeightedValue
Takes a collection of Model
's and returns one based upon a weighted column. It can also take a maxCap to simulate higher odds.
It should be noted when passing a maxCap
you should pass in a desired return value if none of the items in the models list were hit.
Example Usage
$prizes = Prizes::all();
$selectedPrize = Models::randomByWeightedValue($models, 'chance');
//returns a prize as if the 'chance' column related to {$chance}/10,000,000 - if none are hit it will return null.
$selectedPrize = Models::randomByWeightedValue('App\Models\Prize', 'chance', 10000000, null);
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | A Collection of Models or a string representation of a Model, column , maxCap = null, ifLose = null |
Throws | None |
Returns | Model or an object |
IsRelatedTo
The IsRelatedTo helper is a trait that allows quick and easy access to the areRelated
method in the Models helper.
Methods
isRelatedTo
Check if a single model is related to the parent model.
Example usage
class User extends Model {
use IsRelatedTo;
}
$related = $user->isRelatedTo($post)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | Model or Array |
Returns | Boolean |
ApiResponse
The ApiResponse helper standardizes an API response. Always containing the same fields:
Key | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
status |
Integer | status is used for accessibility when the response cannot access the HTTP client, such as axios |
success |
Boolean | success is a boolean to signify that an operation was successful or not |
error |
NULL, String or Array | error is used to describe errors or warnings that have happened during the operation |
data |
NULL or Array | data should contain the main resource information |
meta |
NULL or Array | meta should contain extra resource information, such as other endpoints that can be used with the current resource |
The ApiResponse helper also implements ArrayAccess which can be used to transform data
easily. Example usage can be found here.
After building up the response, before returning it from a Controller, you must call json
.
Methods
success
Create a successful response instance.
Example Usage
None of the parameters are required.
$api_response = ApiResponse::success($data, $meta, $status)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | data , meta , status |
Returns | ApiResponse |
error
Create a unsuccessful response instance.
Example Usage
None of the parameters are required.
$api_response = ApiResponse::error($errors, $status)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | error , status |
Returns | ApiResponse |
data
Set the data to be returned in the response.
Example Usage
None of the parameters are required.
$api_response->data($data)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | NULL or Array |
Returns | ApiResponse |
meta
Set the meta to be returned in the response.
Example Usage
None of the parameters are required.
$api_response->meta($meta)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | NULL or Array |
Returns | ApiResponse |
status
Set the response status code.
Example Usage
$api_response->status($status)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | Integer |
Returns | ApiResponse |
json
Get the JSON response object
Example Usage
$json_response = $api_response->json()
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | None |
Returns | JsonResponse |
cache
Cache the current ApiResponse
data for use in a later request. By default if the cache currently has data in it the data will not be overwritten. Using forceOverwrite
it can be overwritten, this defaults to false. cache
must be called after data
is set.
Example Usage
lifespan
accepts an Integer value for the lifespan in minutes or a Carbon time when the cache will be cleared. cache
must be an instantiated ResponseCache.
ApiResponse::success($data)->cache(1, $cache)->json();
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | lifespan , cache , forceOverwrite (Optional) |
Returns | ApiResponse |
Response
The Response helper should only be used if, for whatever reason, API endpoints use the same Controller methods as web URIs. This helper will check to see if the request is expecting JSON or not and return the right response.
Key | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
request |
Request | request is used when it comes to deciding which response to return to the client |
type |
String | type is a string, "success" or "error", which will determine which API Response is returned |
message |
NULL, String or String | message is used for a redirect back with a session variable (web) or an error message (API) |
data |
NULL or Array | data should contain the main resource information |
meta |
NULL or Array | meta should contain extra resource information, such as other endpoints that can be used with the current resource |
status |
Integer | status is used for accessibility when the response cannot access the HTTP client, such as axios |
uri |
String | uri is used when wanting to redirect rather than back with a web response |
Methods
None of the following methods can be called statically. When instansiating a new instance of Response a Request object is required.
success
Create a successful response.
Example Usage
None of the parameters are required.
$response = (new Response($request)->success($message, $data, $meta, $status)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | message , data , meta , status |
Returns | Response |
error
Create a unsuccessful response.
Example Usage
None of the parameters are required.
$response = (new Response($request)->success($message, $status)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | message , status |
Returns | Response |
type
Set the response type. While error and success are not aggressively checked the type will default to success if not error.
Example Usage
$response = (new Response($request)->success($type)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | type |
Returns | Response |
message
Set the message to be displayed if an error occurs or a back is triggered.
Example Usage
$response = (new Response($request)->message($message)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | message |
Returns | Response |
data
Set the data to be returned in an successful ApiResponse.
Example Usage
None of the parameters are required.
$response = (new Response($request)->data($data)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | data |
Returns | Response |
meta
Set the meta to be returned in an successful ApiResponse.
Example Usage
None of the parameters are required.
$response = (new Response($request)->meta($meta)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | meta |
Returns | Response |
status
Set the status to be returned in an ApiResponse. This will be overwritten if called before success
or error
.
Example Usage
$response = (new Response($request)->status($status)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | status |
Returns | Response |
redirect
Set the redirect URI to be called rather than redirecting back.
Example Usage
None of the parameters are required.
$response = (new Response($request)->redirect($uri)
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | uri |
Returns | Response |
end
Return the expected response.
Example Usage
$expected_response = (new Response($request)->end()
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | None |
Returns | RedirectResponse or JsonResponse |
ResponseCache
The ResponseCache
helper simplifies caching API Responses taking into account differing request parameters and user accounts. Unique caches are generated based on the request route, method, parameters and user.
Key | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
request |
Request | The request that the cache will be for. |
userSpecific |
Boolean | userSpecific specifies if the response is cached for individual users or if all users share one cache. Important: Misuse of userSpecific can lead to massive inefficiencies and security flaws. If a response is the same for any user userSpecific should be set to false so that a new cache is not created for every user. If a response contains data pertaining to that user userSpecific should be set to true so that users do not receive someone else's cached data. |
excludeParams |
(Optional) NULL or Array | Since request parameters are likely to change the data generated a seperate cache is generated for different sets of parameters so that the correct data is returned. However some parameters do not change the data generated so a new cache does not need to be generated when they change. Adding these parameters to excludeParams will mean that they are ignored. |
Methods
None of the following methods can be called statically.
hasData
Returns if the current cache has any data.
Example Usage
if($cache->hasData()){...
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | None |
Returns | Boolean |
getData
Returns the data currently in the cache, returns null
if empty.
Example Usage
$data = $cache->getData();
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | None |
Returns | Mixed |
cacheData
Saves data to the cache. Any data currently in the cache will be overwritten/
Example Usage
data
can be any serializable data, lifespan
can be minutes as an Integer or a Carbon time that the cache will expire at.
$cache->cacheData(["Hello" => "World"], Carbon:now()->addSeconds(4404));
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | data , lifespan |
Returns | None |
getKey
Returns the unique key for the cache generated based on the request path, method, parameters and user.
Example Usage
$key = $cache->getKey();
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | None |
Returns | String |
clear
Clears the data for the given cache.
Example Usage
$cache->clear();
Key | Details |
---|---|
Parameters | None |
Returns | None |
Usage with ApiResponse
A cache can be created from anApiResponse
automatically by using the cache
function on it. It will only cache new data if the cache does not contain data. See documentation here.
Example Usage
$cache = new ResponseCache($request, false);
if($cache->hasData()){
$data = $cache->getData();
}else{
$data = computationallyExpensiveFunction();
}
return ApiResponse::success($data)->cache(1, $cache)->json();