Sorting array of collections

Question

I have an array storing 3 merged collections:

public function answer() {
        $interview = Interview::find(1);

        $videoQuestions = $interview->VideoQuestions()->get();
        foreach ($videoQuestions as $vq) {
            $vq->type = 'video';
        }

        $textQuestions = $interview->TextQuestions()->get();
        foreach ($textQuestions as $tq) {
            $tq->type = 'text';
        }

        $uploadQuestions = $interview->UploadQuestions()->get();
        foreach ($uploadQuestions as $uq) {
            $uq->type = 'upload';
        }

        $questions = collect($videoQuestions);
        $questions = $questions->merge($textQuestions);
        $questions = $questions->merge($uploadQuestions);

        $questions->sortBy('order_position');
        dd($questions);
    }

The ->sortBy is not working as I assume it doesn't work on an array of collections.

This is what I have:

But I really just want it to be a merged collection not an array inside the collection.

Each VideoQuestion or TextQuestion has an order_position field that I would like to sort by.

Any help is appreciated!

ka_lin · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-21 23:08:35Z

2

First thing collection is a class containing an array of elements with special methods to filter sort, docs:

The Illuminate\Support\Collection class provides a fluent, convenient wrapper for working with arrays of data.

The sortBy method returns a sorted collection (it does not apply to the item it has):

$collection = collect([
    ['name' => 'Desk', 'price' => 200],
    ['name' => 'Chair', 'price' => 100],
    ['name' => 'Bookcase', 'price' => 150],
]);

$sorted = $collection->sortBy('price');

$sorted->values()->all();

/*
    [
        ['name' => 'Chair', 'price' => 100],
        ['name' => 'Bookcase', 'price' => 150],
        ['name' => 'Desk', 'price' => 200],
    ]
*/

So you should have something like:

$questions = $questions->sortBy('order_position');
dd($questions);

edited Nov 21, 2017 at 23:08

answered Nov 21, 2017 at 23:07

ka_lin

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1 Comment

KriiV Over a year ago

Perfect! I simply needed to change $questions->sortBy('order_position'); to $questions = $questions->sortBy('order_position'); Thanks!

Lars Mertens · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-21 23:27:55Z

0

This could be an alternative:

$interview = Interview::find(1)->with(['VideoQuestions',
                                       'TextQuestions', 
                                       'UploadQuestions', 
                                       'Questions' => function($query){
                                           $query->orderBy('order_position', 'asc');
                                       }])->get();

Define the relationships and make a table Questions that holds an order_position that you can sort on instead of each table.

edited Nov 21, 2017 at 23:27

answered Nov 21, 2017 at 23:15

Lars Mertens

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