(Mutators or Middlewares) What would be the ideal use when converting a string before inserting it into the database?

Question

Which would be more recommended to use when manipulating a string that in this case would be (,) for (.) when inserting a value in the database (Mysql) of decimal type in Laravel?

1 - Using a custom middleware

class convertCommaInDot extends TransformsRequest
{

    protected function transform($key, $value)
    {
        return str_replace(',','.',$value);
    }
}

Calling middleware in the route/web.php file

Route::post('/numeros/add', 'NumeroControlador@store')->name('number.store')
    ->middleware('CommaInDot');

OR

2 - Using the setNumeroAttribute($value) mutator, in this case you do not need to use middleware.

class Numero extends Model
{

    public function getNumeroAttribute($value)
    {
        return $this->attributes['numero'] = str_replace('.',',',$value);
    }

    public function setNumeroAttribute($value)
    {
        $this->attributes['numero'] = str_replace(',','.',$value);
    }
}

Both generate the same result, that is, I insert in the form a number 1,23 and automatically the value is transformed to 1.23

Answer 1

As I always like to have an idea about what each thing does I decided to make an example, the middleware who inherits from the class Transformsrequest has a global function that runs on the general stack of middleware of the application Larable.

Including that kind of middleware is called in the array global:

class Kernel extends HttpKernel
{
    /**
     * The application's global HTTP middleware stack.
     *
     * These middleware are run during every request to your application.
     *
     * @var array
     */
    protected $middleware = [
        \App\Http\Middleware\TrustProxies::class,
        \App\Http\Middleware\CheckForMaintenanceMode::class,
        \Illuminate\Foundation\Http\Middleware\ValidatePostSize::class,
        \App\Http\Middleware\TrimStrings::class,
        \Illuminate\Foundation\Http\Middleware\ConvertEmptyStringsToNull::class,         
    ];

and that middleware should not be configured in routes because its function as quoted is global.

For your problem, it should not be used, because, it checks every item sent in your request and if it is satisfied the exchange of point for comma, is done in all fields that are part of this rule and this is not good, already weighed have a name with point, example Stack.Overflow it will replace summarily by comma getting Stack, and that’s not what you want, you just need to change where it’s number with comma, so, Transformsrequest should only be used when this change occurs in all values sent in your request, which in Larable current version 6 (until that date) has two Transformsrequest global who are:

• Trimstrings.php
• Convertemptystringstonull

In your case it is better to use Eloquent: Mutators as is in your question with a change in your code to check too thousand and leave the original value unchanged, only bring the change when it is redeemed, example:

class Numero extends Model
{
    public function getNumeroAttribute($value)
    {
        return str_replace(['.',',']],['','.'], $value); // mudança aqui.
    }
    public function setNumeroAttribute($value)
    {
        $this->attributes['numero'] = str_replace(',','.', $value);
    }
}

^References

• Eloquent: Mutators
• Transformsrequest
• Trimstrings.php
• Convertemptystringstonull