Can't autoload a helper file - Laravel 5.3

Question

I have a helper file located at

app/Helpers/Navigation.php

Helper file with namespace:

   <?php

namespace App\Helpers;

class Navigation
{
    public static function isActiveRoute($route, $output = 'active')
    {
        if (Route::currentRouteName() == $route) {
            return $output;
        }
    }
}

i wanted to autoload this file . So in my composer.json i have this:

"autoload": {
    "classmap": [
      "database"
    ],
    "psr-4": {
      "App\\": "app/"
    },
    "files": [
      "app/Helpers/Navigation.php"
    ]
  },

In my view i want to do this:

<li class="{{ isActiveRoute('main') }}">

But i get the error:

Call to undefined function isActiveRoute()

Not sure what i'm doing wrong. I did composer dumpautoload when i changed the composer file. I tried installing composer again, that also didn't change anything.

Answer 1

i had the same issue, i'm assuming that you are using inspinia laravel version, so the problem is that they forgot to remove the file app/Helpers/Navigation.php

if you look the AppServiceProvider they are using the one in '/../Http/Helpers/Helpers.php'

if you want to do Navigation::isActiveRoute then use the class file

but if you want to use {{ isActiveRoute('youRouteName') }} then you need to use the functions in '/../Http/Helpers/Helpers.php' and there is no need to use de composer.json (that was propossed in another solution for another problem)

i know i have the same feeling...

ps: Please sorry about my english

Answer 2

For a helpers file you don't want to be using a class. You would jut define the functions you want to use.

Also, it is good practice to wrap your function in a check to make sure that function doesn't already exist.

Replace the content of you Naviation.php with:

<?php

if (! function_exists('isActiveRoute')) {

    /**
     * [Description of this function]
     * 
     * @param $route
     * @param string $output
     * @return string
     */
    function isActiveRoute($route, $output = 'active')
    {
        if (Route::currentRouteName() == $route) {
            return $output;
        }
    }
}

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

When your helper file is a class then there is no need to autoload it.

Just create an alias in config/app.php as:

'aliases' => [
 ...
    'NavigationHelper' => App\Helpers\Navigation::class,
 ...

Use it in your Blade template as:

<li class="{{ NavigationHelper::isActiveRoute('main') }}">

At last, you can remove the following code from composer.json file and the run composer dumpautoload

"files": [
  "app/Helpers/Navigation.php"
]