Cannot filter non-ascii data in json/array field

[kolydart]

On a field containg array data, I cannot filter non ascii characters.
Array data are by default converted to json and saved in the database as encoded utf.

Using this eloquent query
$model->properties = ["title" => "ελληνικά", "comments" => "Aliquam"]; $model->save();
saves data in the database as
{"title":"\u03b5\u03bb\u03bb\u03b7\u03bd\u03b9\u03ba\u03ac","comments":"Aliquam"}

So, it is not searchable by powergrid.

I am not interested in key=>value resolution. Searching as plain text for "ελληνικά" is fine.

Is there a way to tell powergrid to decode json data before filtering?
thanks

[dansysanalyst]

Geia sou @kolydart,

I believe you can use the method beforeSearch() to intercept and format your search data.

I tried to replicate your scenario the best I could.

My users table contains the following data.

{"title":"\u0395\u03c5\u03c4\u03c5\u03c7\u03ce\u03c2","singer":"\u0398\u03ac\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 \u03a0\u03b5\u03c4\u03c1\u03ad\u03bb\u03b7\u03c2"}

My PowerGrid component looks like this.

I am able to search for Greek singers.

As well as searching for songs with Latin words.

I can search other fields too, they were not affected.

Implementation

Disclaimer: My implementation is very "hacky" and not elegant at all, but it is all I could think of this late at night 🙃

I use the beforeSearch() to encode my search key into JSON to get the Unicode format. Then, I remove the JSON format enclosing. Next, I triple encode the Unicode characters to make it work with MySQL.

What happens is:

1. Searching for Θάνος Πετρέλης
2. Converts Θάνος Πετρέλης into ["\u0398\u03ac\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 \u03a0\u03b5\u03c4\u03c1\u03ad\u03bb\u03b7\u03c2"]
3. Removes JSON enclosing: \u0398\u03ac\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 \u03a0\u03b5\u03c4\u03c1\u03ad\u03bb\u03b7\u03c2
4. Triple encodes: \\\u0398\\\u03ac\\\u03bd\\\u03bf\\\u03c2 \\\u03a0\\\u03b5\\\u03c4\\\u03c1\\\u03ad\\\u03bb\\\u03b7\\\u03c2
5. MySQL can perform a WHERE songs 'LIKE %\\\u0398\\\u03ac\\\u03bd\\\u03bf\\\u03c2 \\\u03a0\\\u03b5\\\u03c4\\\u03c1\\\u03ad\\\u03bb\\\u03b7\\\u03c2%'

The idea here was to match pieces of the JSON, you could probably change the $search to include something like title: " to only search for song titles.

Component code

final class MusicTable extends PowerGridComponent
{
    public function addColumns(): PowerGridColumns
    {
        return PowerGrid::columns()
            ->addColumn('id')
            ->addColumn('name')
            ->addColumn('song_title', function (User $user) {
                return empty($user->songs) ? '' : html_entity_decode(json_decode($user->songs)->title);
            })
            ->addColumn('song_singer', function (User $user) {
                return empty($user->songs) ? '' : html_entity_decode(json_decode($user->songs)->singer);
            });
    }

    public function columns(): array
    {
        return [
            Column::make('Id', 'id'),

            Column::make('Name', 'name')
                ->sortable()
                ->searchable(),

            Column::make('Song Title', 'song_title', 'songs') // dataField is set to the db column songs
                ->searchable(),

            Column::make('Singer', 'song_singer', 'songs') // dataField is set to the db column songs
                ->searchable(),

            Column::action('Action'),
        ];
    }

    public function beforeSearch(string $field = null, string $search = null)
    {
        if ($field === 'songs') {
            // Encode to Unicode and remove json enclosing.
            $search = trim(ltrim(rtrim(json_encode([$search]), '"]'), '["'));

            //Triple scape backlashes
            $search = preg_replace('/\\\\/', '\\\\\\\\\\', $search);

            return $search;
        }

        return $search;
    }

   //....
}

I hope I have helped a bit!

[kolydart]

That was a great idea, @dansysanalyst!
I can tell it will work, just by reading your description.

Unfortunately I was not able to make it work in my installation.
For some reason the beforeSearch() method is not called during powergrid lifecycle. I put a dd() inside the method and it is never called.

I tried all day yesterday to no avail.
I will try again tomorrow in a fresh installation.

Thanks again. I appreciate it!

[kolydart]

This is embarassing. It is impossible for me to run beforeSearch(), even on a fresh installation. I must be missing something. It would be great if @dansysanalyst could share/send-me the sourcecode. If not, it's ok. I'll make it work eventually.

[dansysanalyst]

@kolydart Could you share your code in a public repository? If not possible, just paste here the component code and your composer.json? I can have a look 😊

[kolydart]

There you are:
https://github.com/kolydart/test-livewire-powergrid-beforeSearch
Login / Password is
[email protected] / password
The only thing I need help for, is to run beforeSearch() in app/Http/Livewire/MusicTable.php.
Right now, it has a dd() which is not run after a search; meaning the method is not called.
thanks!

[dansysanalyst]

Hi @kolydart,

Sorry, you have to use beforeSearchSongs(string $search). One minor inconvenience though, it would not affect the Filter::inputText(). We are currently working on improving the filters in future versions.

One unrelated question, though. Did you consider registering user songs in a table, instead of a JSON field? I, personally, find JSON fields unpractical when it comes to "daily usage".

<?php

namespace App\Http\Livewire;

use App\User;
use Illuminate\Support\Carbon;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder;
use PowerComponents\LivewirePowerGrid\Rules\{Rule, RuleActions};
use PowerComponents\LivewirePowerGrid\Traits\{ActionButton, WithExport};
use PowerComponents\LivewirePowerGrid\Filters\Filter;
use PowerComponents\LivewirePowerGrid\{Button, Column, Exportable, Footer, Header, PowerGrid, PowerGridComponent, PowerGridColumns};

final class MusicTable extends PowerGridComponent
{
    use ActionButton;
    use WithExport;

    /*
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    |  Features Setup
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    | Setup Table's general features
    |
    */
    public function setUp(): array
    {
        $this->showCheckBox();

        return [
            Exportable::make('export')
                ->striped()
                ->type(Exportable::TYPE_XLS, Exportable::TYPE_CSV),
            Header::make()->showSearchInput(),
            Footer::make()
                ->showPerPage()
                ->showRecordCount(),
        ];
    }

    /*
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    |  Datasource
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    | Provides data to your Table using a Model or Collection
    |
    */

    /**
     * PowerGrid datasource.
     *
     * @return Builder<\App\User>
     */
    public function datasource(): Builder
    {
        return User::query();
    }

    /*
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    |  Relationship Search
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    | Configure here relationships to be used by the Search and Table Filters.
    |
    */

    /**
     * Relationship search.
     *
     * @return array<string, array<int, string>>
     */
    public function relationSearch(): array
    {
        return [];
    }

    /*
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    |  Add Column
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    | Make Datasource fields available to be used as columns.
    | You can pass a closure to transform/modify the data.
    |
    | ❗ IMPORTANT: When using closures, you must escape any value coming from
    |    the database using the `e()` Laravel Helper function.
    |
    */
    public function addColumns(): PowerGridColumns
    {
        return PowerGrid::columns()
            ->addColumn('id')
            ->addColumn('name')

           /** Example of custom column using a closure **/
            ->addColumn('name_lower', fn(User $model) => strtolower(e($model->name)))

            ->addColumn('songs', fn($model) => json_encode($model->songs))
            ->addColumn('song_name', function (User $model) {
                return empty($model->songs) ? '' : html_entity_decode(json_decode($model->songs)->name);
            })
            ->addColumn('email')
            ->addColumn('locale')
            ->addColumn('created_at_formatted', fn(User $model) => Carbon::parse($model->created_at)->format('d/m/Y H:i:s'));
    }

    /*
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    |  Include Columns
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    | Include the columns added columns, making them visible on the Table.
    | Each column can be configured with properties, filters, actions...
    |
    */

    /**
     * PowerGrid Columns.
     *
     * @return array<int, Column>
     */
    public function columns(): array
    {
        return [
            Column::make('Id', 'id'),
            Column::make('Name', 'name')
                ->sortable()
                ->searchable(),

            Column::make('Song Title', 'song_name', 'songs')
                ->sortable()
                ->searchable(),

            Column::make('Email', 'email')
                ->sortable()
                ->searchable(),

            Column::make('Locale', 'locale')
                ->sortable()
                ->searchable(),

            Column::make('Created at', 'created_at_formatted', 'created_at')
                ->sortable(),

        ];
    }

    /**
     * PowerGrid Filters.
     *
     * @return array<int, Filter>
     */
    public function filters(): array
    {
        return [
            Filter::inputText('name')->operators(['contains']),
            Filter::inputText('songs', 'songs')->operators(['contains']),
            Filter::inputText('email')->operators(['contains']),
            Filter::inputText('locale')->operators(['contains']),
            Filter::datetimepicker('created_at'),
        ];
    }

    public function beforeSearchSongs(string $search)
    {
        // Encode to Unicode and remove json enclosing.
        $search = trim(ltrim(rtrim(json_encode([$search]), '"]'), '["'));

        //Triple escape backlashes
        $search = preg_replace('/\\\\/', '\\\\\\\\\\', $search);

        return $search;
    }
}

[kolydart]

Sorry, you have to use beforeSearchSongs(string $search). One minor inconvenience though, it would not affect the Filter::inputText(). We are currently working on improving the filters in future versions.

Ok, thanks. Maybe this should reflected in the docs also. Should I go on and change it?

One unrelated question, though. Did you consider registering user songs in a table, instead of a JSON field? I, personally, find JSON fields unpractical when it comes to "daily usage".

Certainly. The case I am trying to deal with contains data coming from a 3rd party, thus it is not my DB design. It is an audit log containing eloquent events log. One of the fields is in array/json format. The source code I shared was for demonstration purpose only.