Update multiple database entries via controller

Question

I've inherited a Craft site that is a mix of a custom plugin (the main site) plus a Laravel Dingo plugin (behind which the bulk of the data in the db lives), plus Solr, and I'm trying to untangle it.

I want to add a function to my controller that updates multiple entries in the database but I can't figure it out. I'll post a snippet of a working existing code along with my attempt:

//Controller
==working, existing code===
public function actionUpdateGuide() {
    $this->requirePostRequest();

    $attr = craft()->request->getPost('guide');
    $request = craft()->MyPlugin_guide->updateGuide($attr);

    if ($request && $request->isSuccessful()) {
        $this->clearCachedAsset($attr['id'], 'guide');
        $this->redirectToPostedUrl();
    } else {
        $this->hydrateInvalidForm($request, $attr);
    }
}

==not-working, my function===   
public function actionPositionGuide() {
    $this->requirePostRequest();

    $attr = json_decode(craft()->request->getPost('guide.json'), true);
    $neworder = array();

    foreach($attr as $row) {
        $guide = array(
            'id' => $row['name'],
            'position' => $row['value']
        );

        array_push($neworder, $guide);
    }

    $request = craft()->MyPlugin_guide->positionGuides($neworder);

Then

//Service
==working, existing code=== 
public function getGuideLocations($id, $page) {
    $url = $this->getUrl() . "/" . $id . "/locations?page=$page";
    $response = craft()->laravel_plugin->send('get', $url);

    if (!$response->isSuccessful()) {
        return array("error" => $response->getStatusCode(), "msg" => "get_guide_locations_error");
    }

    return $response->json();
}

==non-working, my function==
public function positionGuides($attr) {

    foreach($attr as $guide) {
        craft()->laravel_plugin->update($attr);
    }
}

I'm confused because I assumed the normal workflow was controller->service->model->database, but this seems to be controller->service->anotherplugin-service.

Looking in the controller for this Laravel plugin, I see:

public function update($id) {
    $guide = Guide::find($id);

    if (is_null($guide)) {
        return 'error';
    }

    $locations = Input::get("locations", array());
    if(!empty($locations)) {
        $locations =  Location::whereIn('id', $locations)->lists('id');
    }

    $guide->locations()->sync($locations);

    $guide = $guide->fill(Input::all());

    if (!Input::has('image_id')) {
        $guide->image_id = null;
    }

    return $guide->save() ? $guide : $guide->getErrors();
}

And here is the laravel_api model for it:

protected $table = "guides";
protected $fillable = ["name", "city", "type", "image_id", "description", "status", "updated_by", "document", "position"];
protected $dates = ['deleted_at'];
protected $rules = ["name" => "required"];
protected $appends = array('location_detail');

protected $searchable = ['name', 'description', 'subtitle'];

public function locations()
{
    return $this->belongsToMany('Location');
}

Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer 1

OK, I managed to figure it out and I'll post the solution for those who run into similar problems.

Essentially, what's happening is Twig template->Plugin controller->Plugin Service->Laravel API->Laravel Controller->Database

The code:

//Plugin controller
public function actionPositionGuide() {
    $this->requirePostRequest();
    $attr = json_decode(craft()->request->getPost('guide.json'), true);
    $neworder = array();
    foreach($attr as $row) {
        $guide = array(
            'id' => $row['name'],
            'position' => $row['value']
        );
        array_push($neworder, $guide);
    }
    $request = craft()->myplugin_guide->positionGuides($neworder);

}

Then

//Plugin service
public function positionGuides($attr) {
    $url = $this->getBaseUrl() . "/guides/position";
    return craft()->mylaravel_api->send('post', $url, $attr);


}

Then add a route to the Laravel routes.php file

Route::post('guides/position', 'GuidesController@position');

Then the Laravel controller:

public function position() {
    $data = Input::all();
    $response = ["msg" => "success", "status" => 200];

    foreach($data as $guide) {

        $oldguide = Guide::find($guide['id']);

        if (is_null($oldguide)) {
            $response = ["msg" => "error", "status" => 500];
        }

        $oldguide->position = $guide['position'];

        $oldguide->save() ? $oldguide : Log::debug($oldguide->getErrors());
    }

    return Response::json($response["msg"], $response["status"]);
}

Error handling is not great but if anyone has suggestions for improvement, I'm all ears.