Laravel : Log:info in repository not printing values from Input

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07-10-2024

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Laravel: Why Log::info in Repository Doesn't Show Your Input Values

Have you ever found yourself scratching your head, wondering why your Laravel repository's Log::info doesn't print the values from your request input? It's a common frustration, and understanding the underlying reasons is key to debugging and troubleshooting these situations effectively.

Scenario:

Let's imagine you're building a simple blog application. You have a controller that receives a form submission and then uses a repository to handle data persistence.

// Controller
public function store(Request $request) {
    $title = $request->input('title');
    $content = $request->input('content');

    $post = $this->postRepository->create($title, $content);

    return redirect()->route('posts.index');
}

// PostRepository
public function create($title, $content) {
    Log::info('Creating a post with title: ' . $title . ' and content: ' . $content);

    // ... create post logic ... 

    return $post;
}

Now, when you submit the form and check your logs, you might see something like this:

[2023-09-28 15:15:00] local.INFO: Creating a post with title:  and content: 

Wait, what happened to our title and content values?

The Problem:

The issue stems from the way Laravel handles request input in the context of repositories. Repositories often work with a "clean" object, meaning they don't automatically receive the request input. When your controller passes the data to the repository, the input variables are copied, but they don't retain any information about the request itself. This leads to empty or undefined values being logged in the repository.

How to Solve It:

Here are a few effective solutions to ensure your Log::info captures the correct values:

1. Pass the Request Object:

   • The simplest solution is to pass the Request object directly to the repository method:

   // Controller
   public function store(Request $request) {
       $post = $this->postRepository->create($request);
       return redirect()->route('posts.index');
   }
   
   // PostRepository
   public function create(Request $request) {
       $title = $request->input('title');
       $content = $request->input('content');
   
       Log::info('Creating a post with title: ' . $title . ' and content: ' . $content);
   
       // ... create post logic ...
   
       return $post;
   }
   

2. Utilize Dependency Injection:

   • For a more structured approach, consider injecting the Request object into the repository as a dependency:

   // PostRepository
   public function __construct(Request $request) {
       $this->request = $request;
   }
   
   public function create($title, $content) {
       Log::info('Creating a post with title: ' . $this->request->input('title') . ' and content: ' . $this->request->input('content'));
   
       // ... create post logic ... 
   
       return $post;
   }
   

3. Use a DTO (Data Transfer Object):

   • For more complex scenarios, create a DTO to encapsulate your input data. This promotes better organization and data validation:

   // PostDTO
   class PostDTO {
       public $title;
       public $content;
   
       public function __construct(string $title, string $content) {
           $this->title = $title;
           $this->content = $content;
       }
   }
   
   // Controller
   public function store(Request $request) {
       $dto = new PostDTO($request->input('title'), $request->input('content'));
   
       $post = $this->postRepository->create($dto);
   
       return redirect()->route('posts.index');
   }
   
   // PostRepository
   public function create(PostDTO $dto) {
       Log::info('Creating a post with title: ' . $dto->title . ' and content: ' . $dto->content);
   
       // ... create post logic ...
   
       return $post;
   }
   

Additional Insights:

• Remember to use Log::info strategically for debugging and tracking, not for every single operation.
• Be aware that Log::info may not be suitable for logging sensitive information. Consider using more secure logging methods for production environments.
• Utilize the dd() (dump and die) function to quickly inspect variables during development.

By understanding the reason behind the missing input values and implementing the appropriate solutions, you'll be able to effectively debug and utilize Laravel repositories while gaining valuable insights into your application's logic.