Getting Undefined property: Laravel\Scout\Builder::$whereIns error

2 min read 04-10-2024

Getting Undefined property: Laravel\Scout\Builder::$whereIns error

"Undefined property: Laravel\Scout\Builder::$whereIns" in Laravel Scout: Understanding and Fixing the Error

Are you encountering the "Undefined property: Laravel\Scout\Builder::$whereIns" error in your Laravel Scout application? This error indicates that you're trying to use a method called whereIns on the Laravel\Scout\Builder class, but this method doesn't exist. This article will break down the error, explain its cause, and provide solutions to resolve it.

Understanding the Error

Laravel Scout is a powerful tool for adding search functionality to your Laravel applications. It integrates seamlessly with various search engines like Elasticsearch, Algolia, and MeiliSearch. The Laravel\Scout\Builder class is responsible for building search queries, and it provides several methods like where, whereIn, orderBy, and others to filter and sort search results.

However, the whereIns method is not a standard method provided by Laravel\Scout\Builder. This is why you encounter the "Undefined property: Laravel\Scout\Builder::$whereIns" error.

Scenario:

Let's say you have a model called Product with a field category_id. You want to find all products belonging to specific categories using their IDs. You might write code similar to this:

use App\Models\Product;

// Example category IDs
$categoryIds = [1, 2, 3];

$products = Product::search('')
    ->whereIns('category_id', $categoryIds) // Incorrect method
    ->get();

Why the Error Occurs:

The error occurs because you are attempting to use a method (whereIns) that doesn't exist on the Laravel\Scout\Builder object. The correct method to search for multiple values within a specific field is whereIn.

Solutions:

Use the Correct Method:

Replace whereIns with whereIn in your code:

$products = Product::search('')
    ->whereIn('category_id', $categoryIds) // Correct method
    ->get();

Leverage Search Engine Specific Features:

For more complex filtering based on multiple values, consider utilizing the search engine's features. For example, in Elasticsearch, you can use the terms query to match multiple values:
```
$products = Product::search('')
    ->using(function ($query) use ($categoryIds) {
        $query->where('category_id', 'terms', $categoryIds); 
    })
    ->get();
```

Additional Considerations:

Check Your Search Engine Documentation: Refer to the documentation of your chosen search engine (Elasticsearch, Algolia, etc.) for details on how to filter based on multiple values.
Scout Drivers: Different Scout drivers might provide specific methods for advanced filtering. For example, the Algolia driver offers whereRaw for custom filtering using Algolia's query language.

Conclusion

The "Undefined property: Laravel\Scout\Builder::$whereIns" error is a common mistake arising from the incorrect use of methods in the Laravel\Scout\Builder class. By understanding the cause of the error and utilizing the correct methods (whereIn or search engine-specific features), you can efficiently filter your search results and build robust search functionality in your Laravel applications.