Call to undefined method Illuminate\Database\Query\Builder::save()- Laravel 5 - php

Question

I can't figure it out. I think it happens when it hits my activateAccount controller function. Inside that function I call on account_activated function where user gets saved. Plus I'm getting the first instance of the user object so I don't what's wrong.
This is the controller function
public function activateAccount(Request $request, User $user, $key) {
$registered = $request->session()->get('registered');
if (isset($registered)) {
$request->session()->forget('registered');
if ($user->account_activated($key)) {
// TODO
$referral = Referrals::where('activation_key', $key);
if (!empty($referral)) {
$referral->validate = 1;
$referral->save();
}
return redirect('/login')->with('success', "Your account has been activated. You many login!");
} else {
return redirect('/not-active');
}
} else {
return redirect('/');
}
}
account_activated function inside the User model
public function account_activated($key){
$user = User::where('activate_key', $key)->first();
$user->activate = 1;
$user->save();
return true;
}
This is the error msg
BadMethodCallException in Builder.php line 2047:
Call to undefined method Illuminate\Database\Query\Builder::save()
in Builder.php line 2047
at Builder->__call('save', array())
at Builder->save()
at call_user_func_array(array(object(Builder), 'save'), array()) in Builder.php line 943
at Builder->__call('save', array()) in RegisterController.php line 155
at Builder->save() in RegisterController.php line 155
at RegisterController->activateAccount(object(Request), object(User), 'OjkTKaLIVAaRhveYRZz9rC1uAuPjUc6fk4BeZhUM')
at call_user_func_array(array(object(RegisterController), 'activateAccount'), array(object(Request), object(User), 'key' => 'OjkTKaLIVAaRhveYRZz9rC1uAuPjUc6fk4BeZhUM')) in Controller.php line 256
at Controller->callAction('activateAccount', array(object(Request), object(User), 'key' => 'OjkTKaLIVAaRhveYRZz9rC1uAuPjUc6fk4BeZhUM')) in ControllerDispatcher.php line 164
at ControllerDispatcher->call(object(RegisterController), object(Route), 'activateAccount') in ControllerDispatcher.php line 112
at ControllerDispatcher->Illuminate\Routing\{closure}(object(Request))
at call_user_func(object(Closure), object(Request)) in Pipeline.php line 139
at Pipeline->Illuminate\Pipeline\{closure}(object(Request))
at call_user_func(object(Closure), object(Request)) in Pipeline.php line 103
at Pipeline->then(object(Closure)) in ControllerDispatcher.php line 114
at ControllerDispatcher->callWithinStack(object(RegisterController), object(Route), object(Request), 'activateAccount') in ControllerDispatcher.php line 69
at ControllerDispatcher->dispatch(object(Route), object(Request), 'App\Http\Controllers\RegisterController', 'activateAccount') in Route.php line 201
at Route->runWithCustomDispatcher(object(Request)) in Route.php line 134
at Route->run(object(Request)) in Router.php line 704
at Router->Illuminate\Routing\{closure}(object(Request))
at call_user_func(object(Closure), object(Request)) in Pipeline.php line 139
at Pipeline->Illuminate\Pipeline\{closure}(object(Request))
at call_user_func(object(Closure), object(Request)) in Pipeline.php line 103
at Pipeline->then(object(Closure)) in Router.php line 706
at Router->runRouteWithinStack(object(Route), object(Request)) in Router.php line 671
at Router->dispatchToRoute(object(Request)) in Router.php line 631
at Router->dispatch(object(Request)) in Kernel.php line 236
at Kernel->Illuminate\Foundation\Http\{closure}(object(Request))
at call_user_func(object(Closure), object(Request)) in Pipeline.php line 139
at Pipeline->Illuminate\Pipeline\{closure}(object(Request)) in VerifyCsrfToken.php line 50
at VerifyCsrfToken->handle(object(Request), object(Closure))
at call_user_func_array(array(object(VerifyCsrfToken), 'handle'), array(object(Request), object(Closure))) in Pipeline.php line 124
at Pipeline->Illuminate\Pipeline\{closure}(object(Request)) in ShareErrorsFromSession.php line 49
at ShareErrorsFromSession->handle(object(Request), object(Closure))
at call_user_func_array(array(object(ShareErrorsFromSession), 'handle'), array(object(Request), object(Closure))) in Pipeline.php line 124
at Pipeline->Illuminate\Pipeline\{closure}(object(Request)) in StartSession.php line 62
at StartSession->handle(object(Request), object(Closure))
at call_user_func_array(array(object(StartSession), 'handle'), array(object(Request), object(Closure))) in Pipeline.php line 124
at Pipeline->Illuminate\Pipeline\{closure}(object(Request)) in AddQueuedCookiesToResponse.php line 37
at AddQueuedCookiesToResponse->handle(object(Request), object(Closure))
at call_user_func_array(array(object(AddQueuedCookiesToResponse), 'handle'), array(object(Request), object(Closure))) in Pipeline.php line 124
at Pipeline->Illuminate\Pipeline\{closure}(object(Request)) in EncryptCookies.php line 59
at EncryptCookies->handle(object(Request), object(Closure))
at call_user_func_array(array(object(EncryptCookies), 'handle'), array(object(Request), object(Closure))) in Pipeline.php line 124
at Pipeline->Illuminate\Pipeline\{closure}(object(Request)) in CheckForMaintenanceMode.php line 42
at CheckForMaintenanceMode->handle(object(Request), object(Closure))
at call_user_func_array(array(object(CheckForMaintenanceMode), 'handle'), array(object(Request), object(Closure))) in Pipeline.php line 124
at Pipeline->Illuminate\Pipeline\{closure}(object(Request))
at call_user_func(object(Closure), object(Request)) in Pipeline.php line 103
at Pipeline->then(object(Closure)) in Kernel.php line 122
at Kernel->sendRequestThroughRouter(object(Request)) in Kernel.php line 87
at Kernel->handle(object(Request)) in index.php line 54

Answer 1

The error that you are getting isn't coming from the function that you call, but within the activateAccount function itself.
In particular these lines here:
$referral = Referrals::where('activation_key', $key);
if (!empty($referral)) {
$referral->validate = 1;
$referral->save();
}
You need to fetch the model after giving your where clause. By the looks of it you already know how to do this, but for completeness sake you just need to add in a ->first():
$referral = Referrals::where('activation_key', $key)->first();
if (!empty($referral)) {
$referral->validate = 1;
$referral->save();
}