One Controller for Different Users Laravel - php

Question

Let's assume I have different users that have the access to some pages. Pages are almost the same, but with minor changes, like delete button is not shown for user but for the admin.. and so.
If I have a controller called DashboardController which has a method index that shows some info related to the type of the user.
I have two approaches, one is to make different controllers like:
Admin\DashboardController
User\DashboardController
but my routes will be like : localhost/admin/dashboard and localhost/user/dashboard
and the other approach is to make one controller called DashboardController and check for the type of the user there.
So which approach is better, and is there a better approach to make one URL instead of prefixing them?

Answer 1

I suggest taking a look at view composers: http://laravel.com/docs/4.2/responses#view-composers
View composers make it possible to bind extra logic to a view. This could remove some double code or in your case could validate the authenticated user and bind a boolean to the view.
Quick example:
// DashboardComposer.php
class DashboardComposer {
public function compose($view)
{
$user = Auth::user();
$isAdmin = $user->admin; // The attribute 'admin' would be a boolean.
$view->with(
'showDelete',
$isAdmin
);
}
}
In your blade view you would check for this state:
// dashboard.blade.php
#if($isAdmin)
<button>Delete</button>
#endif
Please take note that this does NOT protect your 'delete' endpoint!
Adding a before filter on these routes should suffice.
// routes.php
Route::delete('resource', [
'as' => 'resource.delete',
'uses' => 'DashboardController#delete',
'before' => 'admin' // This would call a custom filter.
]);
And lastly the custom filter would almost look the same as the view composer.
// filters.php
Route::filter('admin', function () {
$user = Auth::user();
return $user->admin; // The attribute 'admin' would be a boolean.
});
One last note I've placed the view composer in a separate class, by doing so I can better organise my code. The filter is placed in the same file as all the other filters, however it is possible to do the same as with the composer: http://laravel.com/docs/4.2/routing#route-filters
Take a look at 'Filter Classes'.

Answer 2

I have solved this like the following way
routes.php
Route::get('dashboard', ['middleware' => 'auth', 'uses' => 'DashboardController#index']);
// Admin
Route::group([ 'middleware' => 'toegang:admin' ], function ()
{
Route::get('dashboard/projecten', 'ProjectController#index');
Route::get('dashboard/groepen', 'GroepController#index');
Route::get('dashboard/periode', 'PeriodeController#index');
Route::get('dashboard/producten', 'ProductController#index');
Route::get('dashboard/gebruikers', 'UserController#index');
Route::get('dashboard/scoring_rubrics', 'ScroingRubricsController#index');
Route::get('dashboard/pos', 'PosController#index');
Route::get('dashboard/project_status', 'ProjectStatusController#index');
Route::get('dashboard/beoordeling', 'BeoordelingController#index');
});
// Student
Route::group([ 'middleware' => 'toegang:student' ], function ()
{
Route::get('dashboard/project_status_student', 'ProjectStatusStudentController#index');
Route::get('dashboard/account', 'AccountStudentController#index');
});
I have multiple roles admin / student and they uses one controller DashBoardController.
SO to access dashboard both admin or student must be auth to access the dashboard homepage. For the specific pages for admin and student i use two route groups.
dashboardcontroller#index
class DashboardController extends Controller
{
/**
* Display a listing of the resource.
*
* #return View View
*/
public function index()
{
$autorisatie = Auth::user()->autorisatie();
return view('dashboard.home', compact('autorisatie'));
}
In the dashboard controller i will get role from the user by calling autorisatie()
autorisatie method in user model
public function autorisatie($rol = null)
{
$autorisatie = DB::table('autorisatie')
->select('rol')
->where('autorisatieID', Auth::user()->autorisatieID)
->first();
// Check als de opgegeven role in de routes hetzelfde is
// Als de ingelogde user
if($rol)
{
// Return true als $autorisatie rol hetzelfde is als de
// opgegeven route role
return $autorisatie->rol == $rol;
}
// return false
return $autorisatie->rol;
}
And in my view i will check for different displaying data or pages like so:
view dashboard
{{--Extends master page--}}#extends("master.master")
{{--Section for content area--}}
#section("content")
<h1>Dashboard</h1>
<p>
Dashboard - {{$autorisatie}} <br>
#if ($autorisatie == 'admin')
Show admin things.....
#elseif ($autorisatie == 'student')
Show student things...
#endif
</p>