Define default values for Laravel form fields
Okay, so here we are... I used Laravel's form model binding in the example. (I work with User model/db table). If this topic is not clear for you, take a look at this http://laravel.com/docs/html#form-model-binding
// Controller
class UsersController extends BaseController
{
...
// Method to show 'create' form & initialize 'blank' user's object
public function create()
{
$user = new User;
return View::make('users.form', compact('user'));
}
// This method should store data sent form form (for new user)
public function store()
{
print_r(Input::all());
}
// Retrieve user's data from DB by given ID & show 'edit' form
public function edit($id)
{
$user = User::find($id);
return View::make('users.form', compact('user'));
}
// Here you should process form data for user that exists already.
// Modify/convert some input data maybe, save it then...
public function update($id)
{
$user = User::find($id);
print_r($user->toArray());
}
...
}
And here come the view file served by controller.
// The view file - self describing I think
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Document</title>
</head>
<body>
@if(!$user->id)
{{ Form::model($user, ['route' => 'admin.users.store']) }}
@else
{{ Form::model($user, ['route' => ['admin.users.update', $user->id], 'method' => 'put']) }}
@endif
{{ Form::text('firstName') }}
{{ Form::text('lastName') }}
{{ Form::submit() }}
{{ Form::close() }}
</body>
</html>
Yes, let's consider the following example:
View:
{{ Form::text('title', $title) }}
Controller:
$title = 'Some default title';
if($article) {
$title = $article->title;
}
return View::make('user.login')->with('title', $title)
Then you will have a text-input with either Some default title
or the title from $article, if $article
isn't equal to false