Eloquent Users in Same Group - php

Question

I have the usual users, groups and group_user tables. I know the raw SQL that I want:
SELECT group_user.group_id, users.* FROM users
INNER JOIN group_user ON users.id = group_user.user_id
WHERE group_user.group_id IN
(SELECT group_id FROM group_user WHERE user_id=?)
ORDER BY group_user.group_id;
where ? is replaced current user's id.
but, I want to use Eloquent (outside of laravel) for this. I have tried using a User model with a groups method
public function groups() {
return $this->belongsToMany('\Smawt\User\Group');
}
and a Membership model with a users method
public function users($group_id) {
return $this->where('group_id', '=', $group_id)->get();
}
and then I loop through the groups and then loop through all its members. Finally, I append all the data to get one $users object at the end, to pass through to my view.
$thisMembership = new Membership;
$myGroups = $app->auth->groups;
$users = [];
foreach ($myGroups as $myGroup) {
foreach ($thisMembership->users($myGroup->id) as $myUser) {
$thisUser = $app->user->where('id', '=', $myUser->user_id)->first();
$thisUser->group_id = $myGroup->id;
array_push($users, $thisUser);
}
}
Then in my view I loop through my $users as normal. Although this method works, it will not be very efficient as I am unable to work out how to use Eager Loading with it.
Is there a simpler more 'Eloquent' way of getting an object of users who are in the same group as the current user? I don't want just want a list, or an array, as I want to use the other methods defined in my user model.

Answer 1

I have been able to construct the following Eloquent query, although I am not sure this is the 'best' way:
$users = User::join('group_user', 'users.id', '=', 'group_user.user_id')
->whereIn('group_user.group_id', function($query) {
$query->select('group_id')
->from('group_user')
->where('group_user.user_id', '=', $_SESSION['user_id']);
})->orderBy('group_id', 'asc')
->get();

Answer 2

The Eloquent way for the relationship and use of it:
Tables: users, groups
Models: User Group
Pivot Table: group_user (id, user_id, group_id)
In User Model:
public function groups()
{
// pivot table name and related field
// names are optional here in this case
return $this->belongsToMany('Group');
}
In Group Model:
public function users()
{
// pivot table name and related field
// names are optional here in this case
return $this->belongsToMany('User');
}
Use Case (Example):
$usersWithGroup = User::with('groups')->find(1); // or get()
$groupWithUsers = Group::with('users')->find(1); // or get()
For more information check Eloquent section on documentation.
Update:
If user belongsto any group
$usersWithGroup = User::has('groups')->with('groups')->find(1);
Also using if a user belongs to specific group:
$someGroup = 'general';
$usersWithGroup = User::whereHas('groups', function($q) use($someGroup) {
$q->where('group_name', $someGroup);
})
->with('groups')->find(1);