Call a custom model method from controller laravel4 - php

Question

I have a model like this:
class Event extends Eloquent
{
protected $softDelete = true;
public function scopeSearchEvents($search_criteria)
{
return Event::whereIn('title',$search_criteria)
->orWhereIn('description',$search_criteria)
->whereApproved('1')
->orderBy('event_date','desc')
->get();
}
}
And im calling it from the controller like this:
$data = Event::search($search_criteria);
But it gives this error:
Symfony \ Component \ Debug \ Exception \ FatalErrorException
Call to undefined method Illuminate\Events\Dispatcher::search()
What is the best way of calling a custom model method from your controller?

Answer 1

Make changes to your method as given below:
public function scopeSearchEvents($query, $search_criteria)
{
return $query->whereIn('title', $search_criteria)
->orWhereIn('description', $search_criteria)
->whereApproved('1')
->orderBy('event_date','desc');
}
Then call it like searchEvents not search:
// Don't use Event as your model name
$data = YourModel::searchEvents($search_criteria)->get();
Also make sure that, you want to use whereIn instead of where('title', 'LIKE', "% $search_criteria") and so.
Update:
You should change the model name from Event to anything else because Laravel has it's core Event class, actually a Facade which is mapped to 'Illuminate\Support\Facades\Event'.

Answer 2

Have a look at the app.php:
'aliases' => array(
...
'Event'=> 'Illuminate\Support\Facades\Event',
...
);
"Event" is defined as an alias. That's why your Event calls "Illuminate\Support\Facades\Event".
Now if you want to use your event model without typing the namespace to call methods create an alias like:
'MyEvent' => 'App\Models\Event',
and then:
MyEvent::create();