Laravel 5.1: Handling missing fields in RESTful API

Question

In my Laravel 5.1 application, I have a controller that serves as a RESTful API. Many methods of this controller have a following piece of code:

foreach (['email', 'password', 'firstName', 'lastName'] as $parameter) {
    if (!$this->request->has($parameter)) {
        throw new InputException(400, $parameter, 'Missing ' . $parameter . ' parameter.');
    }
}

I know it's not the greatest idea to repeat the same piece of code (with different array contents). Instead, I'm looking for some elegant way to achieve the same thing.

I thought about middleware with parameters, something like this in the routes.php:

'middleware' => 'parameters:email,password,firstName,lastName'

Currently I'm using implicit controllers though, so my methods are not mentioned in routes.php file.

What is the most flexible and elegant way to implement this functionality without repeating myself?

Just because a answer doesnt work out for you, doesn't mean you need to downvote it. Anyway, downvoting ur question too. Good luck — Parthapratim Neog, Jul 31 '15 at 12:30
I downvoted, because your code is just bad and far worse than what I already have. — Robo Robok, Jul 31 '15 at 14:34
By the way, downvoting good question because of butthurt is really pathetic. — Robo Robok, Jul 31 '15 at 14:49
We count a good question by the number of upvotes it has and not the number of downvotes ... — Parthapratim Neog, Jul 31 '15 at 18:52

jedrzej.kurylo · Answer 1 · 2015-07-30T21:25:15.813

1

Laravel's validator is what you need.

If you have a controller class, you can just add the following in the action method:

 $this->validate($this->request, [
    'email' => 'required|email',
    'password' => 'required',
    'firstname' => 'required',
    'lastname' => 'required',
]);

This will validate the incoming request and throw HttpResponseException if validation rules are not met.

Laravel's Validator is a powerful tool - you can read more about it here: http://laravel.com/docs/5.1/validation

edited Jul 30 '15 at 21:25

answered Jul 30 '15 at 21:06

jedrzej.kurylo

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To whoever is downvoting the answer - I'd love to learn why this solution is not ok :) – jedrzej.kurylo Jul 30 '15 at 21:26
The guy asking the question is the one who is down voting the answers. I'm downvoting his question too – Parthapratim Neog Jul 31 '15 at 12:31

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 31 '15 at 11:49

I think, Middleware would be the best option. Middlewares are amazing. Just create a middleware using php artisan make:middleware SomeMiddlewareName

and put this code in its handle function

public function handle($request, Closure $next)
{

    $data = array(
        'email' => $request->input('email'),
        'password' => $request->input('password'),
        'firstname' => $request->input('firstname'),
        'lastname' => $request->input('lastname'),
    );

    //Delete array fields that Have null or empty values
    $data = array_filter($data);

    if (sizeof($data) == 4) {
            //Send the user to the required controller
            return $next($request);
    } else {
        //Else, throw whatever error you want to throw
        throw new InputException("Enter all required parameters");
    }
}

I think it will work for you.

Laravel 5.1: Handling missing fields in RESTful API

2 Answers2