Model is dirty though array is the same

[jaulz]

I noticed that updateOrCreate triggers an update when passing a schemaless array though the arrays' content is the same. As far as I can see the array from Postgres has some spaces:

["en-gb", "en-us", "en", "de"]

Whereas PHP's json_encode has no spaces:

["en-gb","en-us","en","de"]

Does anyone have a smart idea to overcome this? A custom json_encode maybe?

[jaulz]

@freekmurze thanks for moving it but actually, I thought it is an issue or is it by design?

[dylanbr]

I am having the same issue.

My workaround is to override originalIsEquivalent() on the model, and for SchemalessAttributes, use json_encode(json_decode($original)) to re-encode the original value, and then compare that with the current attribute value.

I am interested to hear if this discussion results in other ways to achieve this.

[danielbehrendt]

Same problem here using MySQL 8 which adds single spaces:

MySQL also discards extra whitespace between keys, values, or elements in the original JSON document, and leaves (or inserts, when necessary) a single space following each comma (,) or colon (:) when displaying it. This is done to enhance readability.

This is really a problem when using schemaless attributes in combination with an auditing package as a new auditing entry gets created even if there where no changes made.

Currently I do not have any workaround and I would appreciate any help!

[danielbehrendt]

@dylanbr would you mind sharing your workarounds (especially how an where you implemented them)?

[dylanbr]

As mentioned above, I'm overriding originalIsEquivalent(), a method on Model. This is called, with an attribute name as the parameter, when determining whether that attribute has changed.

I'm using a trait, although you could also add it to a base class. There is other unrelated code, so I am unable to paste it all here, but what it does is:

• Check if the given attribute is cast to SchemalessAttributes
• If so, take the original and current values, and run json_decode() followed by json_encode() on both, then compare the re-encoded values and return.
• Otherwise return parent::originalIsEquivalent().

Hope this helps.