Yea that is good idea. Create PetController with those methods and define protected $model; which you will define in other controller for example in DogController.

BTW: Are you from Slovakia?

Thanks nipid for your answer. What do you mean by defining proteced $model? Why?

Yes I am from Slovakia :)

I imagine your going to get a lot of overlap between your different animal models. Why not create one animal table and have 3 different models extending 1 abstract animal model

<?php

// Animal.php
abstract class Animal extends \Illuminate\Database\Eloqent\Model
{
	protected $table = 'animals'

	const DOG_ID = 1;
	const CAT_ID = 2;
	const BIRD_ID = 3;

	public function newQuery($excludeDeleted = true)
    {
        return parent::newQuery()->species($this->getSpeciesId());
    }

	public function scopeSpecies($query, $species)
	{
		return $query->where('species', '=', $species);
	}

	protected abstract function getSpeciesId();
}

// Dog.php

class Dog extends Animal
{
	public function getSpeciesId()
	{
		return self::DOG_ID;
	}
}

// Cat.php
class Cat extends Animal
{
	public function getSpeciesId()
	{
		return self::CAT_ID;
	}

}

// Bird.php
class Bird extends Animal
{
	public function getSpeciesId()
	{
		return self::BIRD_ID;
	}

}

That might need some refining to make it work. I just quickly wrote that now. I think it will work.

Thanks damienadermann,

that seems like a very nice idea, I just dont know If I want to change the database in this stage. I know I did not give it a proper though at the beginning about the tables structure of pets.

Well, decisions decisions :/

TorchSK said:

Thanks damienadermann,

that seems like a very nice idea, I just dont know If I want to change the database in this stage. I know I did not give it a proper though at the beginning about the tables structure of pets.

Well, decisions decisions :/

Still have solution for you here :)

interface Animal {
    
    /**
     * The animal specy
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function specy();

    /**
     * The animal sound
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function sound();
}


class Dog extends Eloquent implements Animal {
    
    public function specy()
    {
        return 'Dog';
    }
   
     public function sound()
     {
         return 'Whoof!';
     }
}

// So on for cat, monkey ;)

Then you can have your AnimalController dealing with AnimalInterface, instead of specific model type. Like:

class PetController extends Controller
{
     public function listenToThe($specy)
     {
           $pet = App::make($specy);
           return "Oh! The { $pet->specy() } sound: { $pet->sound() }";
     }
}

And @damienadermann:

It's not scalable to the application if you define your Animal like that. When you need add more animal type to the database, then you have to define a new constant in the Animal class.

For further approach: with my implementation, you'll face the problem - how to create an instance of the AnimalInterface in the controller. Using App::make() as I do above is a quick and simple way, but it will lead the application to an error if the $specy parameter is not proper, so you can write your own AnimalFactory or AnimalResolver as well.

@bomberman1990, yesss, that is exactly what I am trying to implement now. I am not very familiar with how IoC works so, I'll need a little bit of studying :)

Thanks a lot.

You are welcome! Be Artisan :)

I just "hate" (in fact I love it) how Laravel makes me to write my code properly!!! :P

Because I'm from Slovakia also if you need some help follow me at twitter @nipidqo and pm me :)