Many to Many Relationship Laravel 4 - php

Question

I am working on a laravel-4 application. Currently It is coming together nicely and I've been getting my head around defining the relationships between the various table s of the database. However I've run into a problem that I'm having trouble solving.
In my db there is a resources table and tags table. There is a many to many relationship between them so I've also got a resource_tags table which has both tables id as the foreign keys.
Now, when I am creating a resource based on data provided by the user via a form I create the resource, check the type and decide on an action. Then I retrieve the tags of the resource and loop through them and create an entry into the Tags table.
My issue is placing information into the resource_tags table. Is there a method that can enable me to do this with relative ease?
This is my controller that is handling the form submission:
class SharedResourcesController extends BaseController {
//Add a shared Resource to the DB
//To do: Error checking and validation.
public function handleResource(){
//Create Object
$resource = new SharedResource;
$resource->title = Input::get('title'); //Title of resource
$resource->user_id = Input::get('user_id'); //User who uploads
$resource->book_id = Input::get('book_id'); //Book it is associated with
$resource->type_id = Input::get('type_id'); //Type of resource
//STORE LINKS
//if type is link... 1
if($resource->type_id == "1"){
$resource->web_link = Input::get('link');
}
//if type is video...2
if($resource->type_id == "2"){
$resource->vid_link = Input::get('link');
}
//UPLOADING
//If type is doc...3
if($resource->type_id == "3"){
if(Input::hasFile('file')){
$destinationPath = '';
$filename = '';
$file = Input::file('file');
$basename = Str::random(12);
$extension = $file->getClientOriginalExtension();
$destinationPath = public_path().'/file/';
$filename = Str::slug($basename, '_').".".$extension;//Create the filename
$file->move($destinationPath, $filename);
$resource->doc_link = $filename;
}
}
//if type is img...4
if($resource->type_id == "4"){
if(Input::hasFile('file')){
$destinationPath = '';
$filename = '';
$file = Input::file('file');
$basename = Str::random(12);
$extension = $file->getClientOriginalExtension();
$destinationPath = public_path().'/img/uploads/';
$filename = Str::slug($basename, '_').".".$extension;//Create the filename
$file->move($destinationPath, $filename);
$resource->img_link = $filename;
}
}
//TAGS
//Get the tags
$tags = Array();
$tags = explode(',', Input::get('tags'));
foreach($tags as $tag){
//Create a new Tag in DB - TO DO: Only Unique TAGS
$newTag = new Tag;
$newTag->name = $tag;
$newTag->save();
//Enter to resource tags
}
//Entry to resouce_tags
//Save Object
$resource->save();
return Redirect::action('User_BaseController#getSharedResources')->with('success', 'Resouce Created!');
//Any errors return to Form...
}
}
MODELS
class SharedResource extends Eloquent{
//set up many to many
public function tags(){
return $this->belongsToMany('Tag');
}
and
class Tag extends Eloquent{
//set up many to many
public function sharedResources(){
return $this->belongsToMany('SharedResource');
}
I know that there is lots missing in terms of validation and error handling, but I'm just trying to get the flow working and I can modify it at a later date. I'd appreciate any help.

Answer 1

All you have to do is build or grab the Resource and build or grab the Tags then call saveMany on the resource's tags relationship and pass an array of tag items into it, like this (pseudo-codey example):
$resource = Resource::create(['name' => 'Resource 1']);
$tag = [];
for ($i = 5; $i > 0; $i--) {
$tag = Tag::create(['name' => 'Tag '.$i]);
array_push($tags, $tag);
}
$resource->tags()->saveMany($tags);
The $tags have to be an array of Tag objects, and the saveMany called on the relationship will take care of the pivot table insertions for you. You should end up with a Resource 1 resource in the resources table, five Tags in the tag table, and 5 records in the resource_tag table with the relationships saved.

Answer 2

Can you add the code for both of your models as well? Do you have the relationship defined in them?
For example:
class Resource extends Eloquent {
public function tags()
{
return $this->belongsToMany('tag');
}
}
and
class Tag extends Eloquent {
public function resources()
{
return $this->belongsToMany('resource');
}
}