Flash Message Methods

In this lesson we will add a couple methods to our Session class to set and get flash messages rather than using the $_SESSION superglobal within the controller.

Open the Framework/Session.php file and add the two following methods:

/**
   * Set a flash message
   *
   * @param string $key
   * @param string $message
   * @return void
   */
 public static function setFlashMessage($key, $message)
 {
   self::set('flash_' . $key, $message);
 }

 /**
   * Get a flash message
   *
   * @param string $key
   * @param mixed $default
   * @return mixed
   */
 public static function getFlashMessage($key, $default = null)
 {
   $message = self::get('flash_' . $key, $default);
   self::clear('flash_' . $key); // Clear the flash message after retrieval
   return $message;
 }

We pass a key into setFlashMessage and it will set it and prefix the key with _flash. When we get it it will call the get method, then clear with the clear method. It will then return the message.

Using the Methods

Change the code to the following in App/views/partials/message.php:

<?php

use Framework\Session;
?>

<?php $successMessage = Session::getFlashMessage('success_message'); ?>
<?php if ($successMessage !== null) : ?>
  <div class="message bg-green-100 p-3 my-3">
    <?= $successMessage ?>
  </div>
<?php endif; ?>

<?php $errorMessage = Session::getFlashMessage('error_message'); ?>
<?php if ($errorMessage !== null) : ?>
  <div class="message bg-red-100 p-3 my-3">
    <?= $errorMessage ?>
  </div>
<?php endif; ?>

It is doing the same thing, we just are not using the $_SESSION superglobal directly. We are using the Session class methods instead.

In the ListingController@store, change the manual $_SESSION set to the following:

Session::set('success_message', 'Listing created successfully');

Change the delete authorization in ListingController@destroy to the following:

 if (!Authorize::isOwner($listing->user_id)) {
      Session::set('error_message', 'You are not authorized to edit this listing');
      return redirect('/listings/' . $id);
    }

Also, set the success flash message to:

Session::set('success_message', 'Listing deleted successfully');

In the update, change to the following:

Session::set('success_message', 'Listing updated');