best practice: prepare data before converting to Data object?

[wivaku]

What is the best practice to prepare data before creating a nested Data object?
(related to #414)

I load array data from an external API.
Just as an example, this could be the data I get from that API:

$data = [ // collection of PostData
  [
    'title' => 'my post',
    'user' => ['firstName' => 'John', 'lastName' => 'Doe'], // UserData: first + last name
    'timestamp' => 1682168403000, // milliseconds
    'comments' => [ // collection of CommentData
      [
        'title' => 'my comment',
        'user' => ['firstName' => 'Erika', 'lastName' => 'Mustermann'], // UserData: first + last name
        'timestamp' => 1682168147000, // milliseconds
        'replies' => [ // collection of CommentData
          [
          'title' => 'my reply to the comment',
          'user' => ['firstName' => 'John', 'lastName' => 'Doe'], // UserData: first + last name
          'timestamp' => 1682168403000, // milliseconds
          ],
          // more replies...
        ],
        'likes' => [ // collection of UserData
            ['firstName' => 'Erika', 'lastName' => 'Mustermann'], // UserData: first + last name
            ['firstName' => 'Jean', 'lastName' => 'Dupont'], // UserData: first + last name
            // more likes...
        ],
      ],
      // more comments...
    ],
  ],
  // more posts...
]

The DTO knows the PostData has a UserData, and a collection of CommentData which consists of UserData (and replies, which have the same structure as CommentData), and likes which is a collection of UserData. Again, just a (simplified) example.

If the json is in the correct format all I have to do is:

$json = loadFromApi($url);
$post = PostData::from($json)

But in my case I need to prepare that raw data before creating my object.
E.g. convert durations / timestamps from milliseconds to seconds, or compute fields like name from first+last name.

I prefer that each of the DTO's has the knowledge about preparing that particular DTO (as opposed to preparing the data before handing it over to the PostData::from(...).
E.g. every time a UserData object is encountered (in post, comments or replies) get the name from first+last name,
and every time a CommentData is encountered (in comment or reply) converts the timestamp from milliseconds to seconds.

But when I create them from a model, then none of these preparations are needed (or even: possible).

What is recommended?

[Nir-An]

Hi @wivaku :)

convert durations / timestamps from milliseconds to seconds,

you could used casts

name from first+last name

you could simply used the magic method from and add them together to the same property 👍

I hope it is help, I'm encourage you to read the documentation
or see a video about it