How to store the request data into 3 different tables? - php

Question

I have a form that allows an authenticated user create a new conference.
This form will request the user information and some of this information introduced by the user should be stored in the Conference table, some in the "Conference_Category" table and some in the "RegistrationType" table.
So when the user submit the form "dd($request->all());" shows:
array:20 [▼
"_token" => "DbDKu3ryk4NdxKLr3aO132iHrE0O5b0XqfENk1"
"conference_name" => "Conference Name"
"conference_categories" => "1"
"conference_description" => "description"
"conference_creator_name" => "John"
"conference_creator_email" => "email#testemail.email"
"conference_creator_description" => "description"
"registration_type_name" => "registration type name"
"registration_type_description" => "registration type desc"
"registration_type_capacity" => "100"
]
DOUBT
My doubt is how to properly store this request information. Because its necessary to store the request data into 3 different tables to create a new conference:
In the "Conference" table is necessary to store: the conference_name, conference_description, conference_creator_id, conference_creator_name,conference_creator_email, conference_creator_description
In the "conference_category" table is necessary to store: the conference categories id's and the conference id
In the "RegistrationType" table is necessary to store:registration_type_name, registration_type_description and registration_type_capacity
I have a ConferenceController and I have the logic to create a new conference in the store() method of the ConferenceController. But for now I just have the part to store the request information on the Conference table.
Do you know how to also store the categories introduced by the user and the registration type in the respective tables (conference_category and RegistrationType)?
ConferenceController create method:
<?php
namespace App\Http\Controllers;
use App\Category;
use App\Conference;
use Illuminate\Http\Request;
class ConferenceController extends Controller
{
public function store(Request $request)
{
dd($request->all());
$this->validate($request, [
'conference_name' => 'required|max:255',
'conference_categories' => 'required|array|between:1,3',
'conference_startDate' => 'required',
'conference_creator_name' => 'required',
'conference_creator_email' => 'required|email|unique:users',
'conference_creator_description' => '',
'conference_registration_type_name' => 'required',
'confenrece_registration_type_description' => '',
'conference_registration_type_capacity' => 'required',
]);
$conference = Conference::create([
'name' => $request->conference_name,
'description' => $request->conference_description,
'startDate' => $request->conference_startDate,
'conference_creator_id' => Auth::user()->id,
'conference_creator_name' => $request->conference_creator_name,
'conference_creator_email' => $request->conference_creator_email,
'conference_creator_description' => $request->conference_creator_description
]);
}
}
The relationships relevants for this questions are:
Many to many between Conference and Categories (A conference can have many categories, so there is a third table conference_category)
one to many between User and Conference (A user can create many conferences)
one to many between Conference and RegistrationType (A conference can have many registration types)
Conference Model
class Conference extends Model
{
protected $fillable = [
'name', 'description', 'startDate', '...'
];
public function categories(){
return $this->belongsToMany('App\Category');
}
public function conference_creator(){
return $this->belongsTo('App\User', 'conference_creator_id');
}
public function registrationTypes(){
return $this->hasMany('App\RegistrationType', 'conference_id');
}
}
Category Model:
class Category extends Model
{
public function conferences(){
return $this->belongsToMany('App\Conference');
}
}
RegistrationType Model:
class RegistrationType extends Model
{
public function conference(){
return $this->belongsTo('App\Conference');
}
}
User Model:
class User extends Authenticatable
{
use Notifiable;
protected $fillable = [
'name', 'email', 'password'
];
protected $hidden = [
'password', 'remember_token',
];
public function conferences(){
return $this->hasMany('App\Conference');
}
}

Answer 1

For the Category you want a Many-to-Many relation. Because a Conference can have many Categories and a Category can have many Conferences. You have already set this up correctly in your Models.
After you have created your Conference you can add the categories to the Conference, this can be done using the Attach method(Assuming that the given ids do exist, if not you'll have to check that first):
$conference->categories()->attach($request->conference_categories);
For more information about Attach: Laravel Eloquent
For the RegistrationType, I assume from your Models that a Conference can have multiple RegistrationTypes and a RegistrationType can only have 1 Conference.
You will have to add the following $fillables to your RegistrationType Model:
protected $fillable = ['name', 'description', 'capacity', 'conference_id'];
After you have created your Conference you can create the RegistrationType:
RegistrationType::create([
'conference_id' => $conference->id,
'name' => $request->conference_registration_type_name,
'description' => $request->confenrece_registration_type_description,
'capacity' => $request->conference_registration_type_capacity
]);
End result:
$conference = Conference::create([
'name' => $request->conference_name,
'description' => $request->conference_description,
'startDate' => $request->conference_startDate,
'conference_creator_id' => Auth::user()->id,
'conference_creator_name' => $request->conference_creator_name,
'conference_creator_email' => $request->conference_creator_email,
'conference_creator_description' => $request->conference_creator_description
]);
$conference->categories()->attach($request->conference_categories);
RegistrationType::create([
'conference_id' => $conference->id,
'name' => $request->conference_registration_type_name,
'description' => $request->confenrece_registration_type_description,
'capacity' => $request->conference_registration_type_capacity
]);