Laravel Validator return error messages - php

Question

public function search()
{
if ($this->articleValidator->validateSearch(request())) {
$response['response'] = TRUE;
$response['data']['articles'] = $this->articleService->searchArticles(request()->keyword, request()->category, request()->from, request()->to);
$response['html'] = view('partials/content-administrator-subsystem/articles', $response['data'])->render();
} else {
$response['response'] = $this->articleValidator->searchValidationErrors();
}
return json_encode($response);
exit;
}
I have this function inside my ArticlesPageController. I send a POST request with axios to this method.
class ArticleValidator implements ArticleValidatorInterface
{
protected $searchValidator;
/**
* Validates articles search request
*
* #param request - Request object
* #returns true/false if validation succeeded
*/
public function validateSearch($request)
{
$this->searchValidator = Validator::make($request->all(), [
'category' => 'array|min:1|exists:categories,id',
'from' => 'date',
'to' => 'date|after_or_equal:from'
]);
return !$this->searchValidator->fails();
}
/**
* Returns search validation errors
*
* #return validation errors or null if everything went well
*/
public function searchValidationErrors()
{
if ($this->searchValidator) {
print_r($this->searchValidator->errors()->getMessages());
return $this->searchValidator->errors();
}
return null;
}
}
This is validator class.
The problem is, if validator fails, I get such return:
{
"response": {
"to": ["validation.after_or_equal"]
}
}
As you can see, it is validation rule that has failed, the problem is, that I need to get actual messages not the rule that has failed.
I know that in normal flow, I can do return redirect()->withErrors($errors) and in a view I would get an $errors array, but now, when it is an AJAX call, I cant do any redirects. so how can I get actual messages and return them back?

Answer 1

As you can see here https://laravel.com/docs/5.5/validation#quick-writing-the-validation-logic, when you use the validate() method and your request was an AJAX one, you get the errors in JSON format in the response. You can see another way to use the Validator here https://laravel.com/docs/5.5/validation#automatic-redirection.
You may have to check for the corresponding version of the documentation because there were slight variations over time, but this should give you a kickstart.