08 March 2014
Laravel has awesome methods to retrieve, change, create and store request data. It allows you to handle both $_GET and $_POST data and store in session or cookies. Let’s look at some methods of accessing request data.
The Input::all() method used to return array of both $_GET and $_POST data within current request. Let’s create a route that will output all request data.
Route::any('get', function(){
//return current request data
var_dump(Input::all());
});
Visit http://localhost/<laravel dir>/public/get?var1=hello&var2=clivern to see reply.
array (size=2)
'var1' => string 'hello' (length=5)
'var2' => string 'clivern' (length=7)
As you can see, laravel return array of $_GET data. The request data can come from another source, the $_POST data. To demonstrate this we need to create simple form and its route.
//app/routes.php
Route::get('form',function(){
//return app/views/form.blade.php
return View::make('form');
});
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>
Laravel
</title>
</head>
<body>
<form action="" method="POST">
<input type='hidden' name='var3' value='hello' />
<input type='hidden' name='var4' value='clivern' />
<input type='submit' value='Submit' />
</form>
</body>
</html>
Visit http://localhost/<laravel dir>/public/form and hit submit button to see reply.
array (size=2)
'var3' => string 'hello' (length=5)
'var4' => string 'clivern' (length=7)
Laravel return array of the $_POST data.
Retrieving complete request data is useful but sometimes we want to retrieve single input data. To retrieve single input with its key, you can use Input::get() method.
Route::any('get', function(){
//return values of var1 and var2 only
var_dump(Input::get('var1','var2'));
//also return values of var1 and var2 only
var_dump(Input::only('var1','var2'));
});
Well, if you want to check if specific input exists or not, you can use the Input::has() method.
Route::any('get', function(){
//check if request data contain var1
var_dump(Input::has('var1'));
});
The Input::except() method will return all request data and exclude the keys we have provided. For example.
Route::any('get', function(){
//get all request data except var4 and var5
var_dump(Input::except('var4','var5'));
});
Sometimes we need to store our request data because $_POST and $_GET data are available only for current request and can’t be retrieved in subsequent requests. To demonstrate this, we need to store request data in session or cookies. You can use withInput() method to redirect client to new route with old $_POST and $_GET data.
//app/routes.php
Route::any('get', function(){
//redirect to new route with current $_GET data
return Redirect::to('new')->withInput();
});
Route::any('new', function(){
//Render old $_GET data
var_dump(Input::old());
});
Route::get('form',function(){
//return app/views/form.blade.php
return View::make('form');
});
<!--app/views/form.blade.php-->
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>
Laravel
</title>
</head>
<body>
<form action="" method="POST">
<input type='hidden' name='var3' value='hello' />
<input type='hidden' name='var4' value='clivern' />
<input type='submit' value='Submit' />
</form>
</body>
</html>
Well. Let’s visit http://localhost/<laravel dir>/public/get?var1=2&var2=56. Also visit http://localhost/<laravel dir>/public/form and hit submit button.You should see this.
// http://localhost/<laravel dir>/public/get?var1=2&var2=56
array (size=2)
'var1' => string '2' (length=1)
'var2' => string '56' (length=2)
// http://localhost/<laravel dir>/public/form
array (size=2)
'var3' => string 'hello' (length=5)
'var4' => string 'clivern' (length=7)
Actually last example shows how to store all data of requests. Let’s explore how to store custom list of data.
Route::any('get', function(){
//redirect to new route with current $_GET['var1']
return Redirect::to('new')->withInput(Input::only('var1'));
});
Route::any('new', function(){
//Render old $_GET data
var_dump(Input::old());
});
Laravel provides handy methods to create and retrieve cookies. we can use Cookie::make() to create cookie. This method accepts three parameters. The first parameter is the key, the second parameter is the value and the third parameter is the expiry time in minutes. laravel encrypts cookies so don’t worry about security. Here’s how to create your first cookie.
Route::get('set', function(){
//create cookie for 30 min
$Cookie = Cookie::make('CookieKey', 'CookieValue', 30);
});
Well, Let’s test our cookie by attaching it to route response using withCookie() method like that.
Route::get('set', function(){
//create cookie for 30 min
$cookie = Cookie::make('Key','value1',30);
//get cookie value
return Response::make('value2')->withCookie($cookie);
//output: value2
});
The get will retrieve cookie value using Cookie::get() method like that.
Route::get('get', function(){
//get cookie
var_dump(Cookie::get('Key'));
//output: string 'value' (length=5)
});
Perhaps you need method to check existance of cookie to remove it. Explore the following code.
Route::get('get', function(){
//check if cookie exist
if(Cookie::has('Key')){
//forget cookie
Cookie::forget('key');
}
});