Collection of different data objects

[rgilbert-digistorm]

Is it possible to have a collection of different data objects?

For example, a PageLayout with a collection of different components.

class PageLayoutData extends Data
{
    public function __construct(
        public string $title,
        #[DataCollectionOf(ComponentData::class)]
        public DataCollection $components,
    ) {}
}

But those components have different requirements so should have different Data Objects.
eg

class TextData extends ComponentData
{
    public function __construct(
        public string $content,
    ) {}
}

class GalleryData extends ComponentData
{
    public function __construct(
        #[DataCollectionOf(ImageData::class)]
        public DataCollection $images,
    ) {}
}

Any suggestions for data like this?

[rubenvanassche]

Hi @RichardGGD,

This is not possible because it brings a lot of complications with it when we need to generate validation rules or magically create objects. If you really need such functionality, then I suggest using an array or Laravel Collection, but with this you'll lose some of the benefits the package provide.

[pixelated-au]

Hi, I had this issue. I needed a collection of different types. Spatie's DTOs support it to a limited extent because they use collection classes. However, Laravel Data does not. So I created my own: https://gist.github.com/pixelated-au/ba061830592391219a66480baa09f739

You can use it like this:

    protected static function processFoo($ffItems): NonTypedCollection
    {
        return new NonTypedCollection(collect($ffItems)->map(fn($items) => FormFooResource::fromArray($items)));
    }

If using Spatie's TypeScript Transformer:

    public function __construct(
        #[LiteralTypeScriptType("MyFooData[]")]
        public NonTypedCollection $items,
    ){}

Or like this:

class MyFooDataCollection extends NonTypedCollection
{...}

With TypeScript Transformer:

#[LiteralTypeScriptType("MyFooData[]")]
class MyFooDataCollection extends NonTypedCollection
{...}

I don't think it supports magic creation methods; it was a while ago that I created it and I can't fully remember. YMMV. But it's a small caveat for the benefit.

Hope it helps! Oh and thanks @rubenvanassche and Spatie for your awesome contributions to open source! You guys are legends!

[rubenvanassche]

Cool!