[Eloquent] $fillable and firstOrNew/firstOrCreate dont use set mutators

[wjaspers]

If the model I've defined has a DateTime property and the fillable attribute is not identical to the physical column name, firstOrNew and firstOrCreate dont know how to handle the property.

I also noticed the setXAttribute() methods are never called during the lookup phase. Is there a specific reason the model is not filled first, and the Select query generated from its properties?

Example code & log output: https://gist.github.com/wjaspers/bb8f9cf0a4a7e169b7e9

I'm using Laravel 4.1

[ErrorException]
Object of class DateTime could not be converted to string

[lucasmichot]

Missing in your code:

protected $dates = ['your-date-field'];

[wjaspers]

I tried using public function dates() { return array('birth_day'); } no luck (is this deprecated?).
I tried using protected $dates = array('birth_day'); and got past the query lookup, but then the insert fails with the same error.

[marcvdm]

When an attribute has a set mutator then it will not check the dates array or check if it is a date time.
https://github.com/laravel/framework/blob/4.1/src/Illuminate/Database/Eloquent/Model.php#L2472

This should be your set mutator

public function setBirthDayAttribute(DateTime $birthday)
{
    $format = $this->getDateFormat();
    $this->attributes['birth_day'] = $birthDay->format($format);
}

This also is true for get mutator. When a mutator exists it will excecute it and return the value. So no check for datetime.
https://github.com/laravel/framework/blob/4.1/src/Illuminate/Database/Eloquent/Model.php#L2371

[wjaspers]

Thanks for the detailed feedback @marcvdm.

The problem stems from firstByAttributes.
The model's properties aren't used, instead the raw array values are passed through when generating the lookup query, so data that is manipulated in the model is not used as expected.

Here's a better example of my problem (the gist was a bit convoluded now that I look at it).
The db structure I'm using stores an integer.

$thing = Model::firstOrNew(array('birthday' => '2014-09-30 00:00:00'));

Model {
...
     public function setBirthdayAttribute($birthday) {
        if (! $birthday instanceof \DateTime) {
            if (! is_numeric($birthday)) {
                   $birthday = new \DateTime($birthday);
                   $birthday = $birthday->format($this->getDateFormat());
            }
        }
        $this->attributes['birthday'] = $birthday;
    }
}

This doesn't work as expected.

What DOES work...

$thing = Model::firstOrNew(array('birthday' => strtotime('2014-09-30 00:00:00'));

which is aggravating because I now have to manipulate the expected values twice.
the set mutator is only called when a new instance of the model is created.

[marcvdm]

@wjaspers I guess thats expected behaviour.

You could make your own method for that, or override the original one.

public static function firstOrCreate(array $attributes)
{
    $instance = new static();

    foreach($attributes as $key => $value)
    {
        $instance->setAttribute($key,$value);
    }

    return parent::firstOrCreate($instance->attributes);
}

It makes an instance and sets all its variables and uses those variables to make the search query.

[marcvdm]

If you want it to use the fillable property you can even do it as following

public static function firstOrCreate(array $attributes)
{
    return parent::firstOrCreate(with(new static($attributes))->attributes);
}

[wjaspers]

Thanks for the suggestion(s).
Maybe this is worth turning into a proposal? Otherwise it can be closed.

[patriziotomato]

I think that proposed fix is supposed to be the expected behaviour, so could you please fix that in future releases?

[kyranb]

Just ran into this, any change of it being merged into L5.3?