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Laravel's setTouchedRelations() Method for Updating Related Models on Save

Moe Dayraki-Laravel push

In Laravel, the setTouchedRelations() method in the Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model class offers a powerful way to specify which relationships should be marked as "touched" when saving a model. By using this method, you can effortlessly update the updated_at timestamp of related models along with the main model. In this article, we will explore the details of the setTouchedRelations() method and its practical usage scenarios.

class User extends Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model
{ 
  public function posts() { 
    return $this->hasMany(Post::class); 
  } 
}

$user = User::find(1); $user->setTouchedRelations(['posts']); $user->save();

In this example, we retrieve a User model instance with an ID of 1. By calling the setTouchedRelations() method and passing in['posts'], we specify that the posts relationship should be marked as "touched" when saving the user model. As a result, when we call the save() method on the user model, the updated_attimestamp of the related Post models will also be updated.

class User extends Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model 
{ 
  public function posts() {
     return $this->hasMany(Post::class); 
  }
  public function comments()
  {
      return $this->hasMany(Comment::class);
  }
}

$user = User::find(1); $user->setTouchedRelations(['posts', 'comments']); $user->save();

In this example, we extend the previous example by including the comments relationship in the setTouchedRelations() method. By passing in ['posts', 'comments'], we ensure that both the posts and comments relationships are marked as "touched" when saving the user model. Consequently, the updated_at timestamps of the related Post and Comment models will be updated accordingly.

Let's Remember

The setTouchedRelations() method in Laravel's Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model class provides a convenient way to update the timestamps of related models when saving a model. By leveraging this method, you can effortlessly ensure data consistency and track the last time a relationship was updated. Whether you need to update a single related model or multiple related models, the setTouchedRelations() method offers a flexible solution. Give it a try and simplify your code while keeping your data up to date!

and voila! Happy coding!

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