How to reload/refresh model from database in Laravel? - php

Question

In some of my tests, I have a user model I have created and I run some methods that need to save certain attributes. In rails, I would typically call something like user.reload which would repopulate the attributes from the database.
Is there a way in laravel to do that? I read through the api and couldn't find a method for it: http://laravel.com/api/4.1/Illuminate/Database/Eloquent/Model.html Any ideas on the "right" way to do this?

Answer 1

There was a commit submitted to the 4.0 branch made in August to add a reload() method, but so far it hasn't been merged with the newer Laravel branches.
But... Laravel 5 is providing a "fresh()" method that will return a new instance of the current model. Once you're using Laravel 5.0 or newer, you can reload a model like this:
$model = $model->fresh();
Note that fresh() doesn't directly update your existing $model, it just returns a new instance, so that's why we need to use "$model = ". It also accepts a parameter which is an array of relations that you want it to eager load.
If you aren't yet using Laravel 5 but you want the same functionality, you can add this method to your model(s):
public function fresh(array $with = array())
{
$key = $this->getKeyName();
return $this->exists ? static::with($with)->where($key, $this->getKey())->first() : null;
}
Update: If you're using Laravel 5.4.24 or newer, there is now a $model->refresh() method that you can use to refresh the object's attributes and relationships in place rather than fetching a new object like fresh() does. See Jeff Puckett answer for more specifics on that.

Answer 2

Thanks to PR#19174 available since 5.4.24 is the refresh method.
$model->refresh();
This way you don't have to deal with reassignment as is shown in other answers with the fresh method, which is generally not helpful if you want to refresh a model that's been passed into another method because the variable assignment will be out of scope for the calling contexts to use later.

Answer 3

refresh() is a mutable operation: It will reload the current model instance from the database.
fresh() is an immutable operation: It returns a new model instance from the database. It doesn't affect the current instance.
// Database state:
$user=User::create([
'name' => 'John',
]);
// Model (memory) state:
$user->name = 'Sarah';
$user2 = $user->fresh();
// $user->name => 'Sarah';
// $user2->name => 'John'
$user->refresh();
// $user->name => 'John'

Answer 4

I can't see it either. Looks like you'll have to:
$model = $model->find($model->id);
You can also create one yourself:
public function reload()
{
$instance = new static;
$instance = $instance->newQuery()->find($this->{$this->primaryKey});
$this->attributes = $instance->attributes;
$this->original = $instance->original;
}
Just tested it here and it looks it works, not sure how far this goes, though, Eloquen is a pretty big class.

Answer 5

I believe #Antonio' answer is the most correct, but depending on the use case, you could also use a combination of $model->setRawAttributes and $model->getAttributes.
$users = User::all();
foreach($users as $user)
{
$rawAttributes = $user->getAttributes();
// manipulate user as required
// ..
// Once done, return attribute state
$user->setRawAttributes($rawAttributes);
}
The primary downside to this is that you're only "reloading" the data attributes, not any relationships you've altered, etc. That might also be considered the plus side.
EDIT
As of L5 - fresh() is the way to go