AsArrayObject, AsCollection not working when the column is null

[foremtehan]

• Laravel Version: 8.56.0
• PHP Version: 8.*
• Database Driver & Version: PostgresSQL

Description:

If we want to create a nested array with AsArrayObject, AsCollection on the nullable column, if the column is null we will get the error

Steps To Reproduce:

I did what taylor does in laracon:

protected $casts = [
    'permisions' => AsArrayObject::class
];

$user = User::first();

//$user->settings is null here
$user->settings['role']['name'] = 'Developer';

$user->save();

ErrorException : Undefined array key "role"

The problem is the permisions is null , it should be empty array and taylor didnt mention that on the video:

[driesvints]

That's intended. You need a value for these objects.

[foremtehan]

doc didnt mention that

[AyubM]

The intended design is a poor choice IMO. If you're creating models without json columns filled elsewhere, then need to update a property in a different process, it's going to fail unless you do null checking. It's an unnecessary encumbrance for a cast that's supposed to be convenient. And what exactly do you gain, Dries, by allowing it to be null?

For those having the same issue, it can be overcome by making your own app\Casts\AsArrayObjectEmptiable.php with the following code:

<?php

namespace App\Casts;

use Illuminate\Contracts\Database\Eloquent\Castable;
use Illuminate\Contracts\Database\Eloquent\CastsAttributes;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Casts\ArrayObject;

class AsArrayObjectEmptiable implements Castable
{
      /**
     * Get the caster class to use when casting from / to this cast target.
     *
     * @param  array  $arguments
     * @return CastsAttributes<ArrayObject<array-key, mixed>, iterable>
     */
    public static function castUsing(array $arguments)
    {
        return new class implements CastsAttributes
        {
            public function get($model, $key, $value, $attributes)
            {
                if (! isset($attributes[$key])) {
                    return new ArrayObject();
                }

                $data = json_decode($attributes[$key], true);

                return is_array($data) ? new ArrayObject($data) : new ArrayObject();
            }

            public function set($model, $key, $value, $attributes)
            {
                return [$key => json_encode($value)];
            }

            public function serialize($model, string $key, $value, array $attributes)
            {
                return $value->getArrayCopy();
            }
        };
    }
}

[str]

@AyubM could we, instead of

return is_array($data) ? new ArrayObject($data) : new ArrayObject();

just

return new ArrayObject($data);

If $data is not an array, if null, or false, then that would be the ArrayObject param, and everything will still keep working