Unable to save data on Form POST Laravel app? - php

Question

I am using PHP Laravel framework. I am trying to save a form after submission. Strangely first time it is not saving, but subsequently, it is saving. On the first post request, the flow isn't even entering function save_application
Code below.
My controller:
class ApplicationController extends Controller
{
/**
* Create a new controller instance.
*
* #return void
*/
public function __construct()
{
$this->middleware('auth',['except' => ['store_application']]);
}
/**
* Show the application dashboard.
*
* #return \Illuminate\Http\Response
*/
public function save_application(Request $request){
$user = Auth::user();
if(isset($request->application)){
$application = Application::where("user_id",$user->id)->first();
if($application){
$application->update($request->application);
}else{
$application = new Application;
$application = Application::create($request->application);
$application->user_id = $user->id;
$application->save();
}
}
return $this->store_application($request);
}
public function store_application(Request $request){
if(isset($request->application)){
if($request->session()->has('application')){
$request->session()->forget('application');
}
$application_data = [];
$application = new Application;
$application->attributes = $request->application;
$application_data["application"] = $application;
$request->session()->put("application" , $application_data);
}
//
return Redirect::to("/application")->withErrors(array("success"=>"Thank you for submitting the application"));
}
}
My routers
Route::post('/application', 'ApplicationController#save_application')->name('application');
Route::post('/application_store', 'ApplicationController#store_application')->name('application');
My html
<form method="POST" action="/application" enctype="multipart/form-data" id='application_form'>
<input type="hidden" name="_token" value="xtQapusSjgf5XVUxjCOudedeH93a8hEqyfaNh8ChEaKt">
<input type='checkbox'>
<label>I've read and accept the terms and conditions</label>
<p class='font-size-16 font-bold text-uppercase text-black'>
Your information
</p>
<hr class='hr1'>
<div class='row form-group'>
<div class='col-lg-6'>
<label class='control-label'>First name*</label>
<input type='text' class='form-control' name='application[first_name]' value="">
</div>
<div class='col-lg-6'>
<label class='control-label' >Last name*</label>
<input type='text' class='form-control' name='application[last_name]' value="">
</div>
</div>
<div class='form-group'>
<label class='control-label' >Middle name</label>
<input type='text' class='form-control' name='application[middle_name]' value="">
</div>
<div class='form-group'>
<label class='control-label'>ID*</label>
<input type='text' class='form-control' name='application[]' value="">
</div>
<button class="btn btn-primary text-uppercase">Submit <i class='fa fa-check text-white'></i></button>
</form>

Answer 1

your routes have the same name, give them differents.
Route::post('/application', 'ApplicationController#save_application')->name('application');
Route::post('/application_store', 'ApplicationController#store_application')->name('other');
and in your form, you can:
<form method="POST" action="{{ route('application') }}" enctype="multipart/form-data" id='application_form'>
and as senty say:
<button type="submit">
</form>

Answer 2

I think you overcomplicate things, you can simply use updateOrCreate() to make it cleaner.
First of all, make sure $fillable or $guarded is utilized in your Application model. (Application.php)
protected $fillable = ['each', 'field', 'as', 'string'];
// or
protected $guarded = [];
Some improvements for your method:
public function save_application(Request $request){
// 1. Do a proper check
$request->validate([
'application.first_name' => 'required',
'application.middle_name' => 'required',
'application.last_name' => 'required'
]);
// 2. Update or Create
$application->updateOrCreate(
[ 'user_id' => $user->id ],
$request->application // I suppose this is an array that you want
);
// 3. Handle the redirect the right way so you can eliminate the other `store_applcation()` method entirely
return redirect()->back()->with([
'application' => $application
'success' => "Your Message"
]);
}
Also you don't need store_application() method in your controller or its route because your html form is POST'ing to /application route.
This is what you want, right?