Handling Mysql Spatial datatypes in Laravel Eloquent ORM

Question

How to handle mysql spatial datatypes in eloquent ORM?, This include how to create migration, insert spatial data and performing spatial query's. If there is not actual solutions exists, is there any workarounds?

Answer 1

A workaround I have implemented a while ago is to have a latitude and longitude fields on the model with the following validations (see Validator class):

$rules = array('latitude' => 'required|numeric|between:-90,90',
                            'longitude'=>'required|numeric|between:-180,180',)

The magic comes on the boot method of the model, which sets the correct value of the spatial point field:

/**
 * Boot method
 * @return void
 */
public static function boot(){
    parent::boot();
    static::creating(function($eloquentModel){

        if(isset($eloquentModel->latitude, $eloquentModel->longitude)){
            $point = $eloquentModel->geoToPoint($eloquentModel->latitude, $eloquentModel->longitude);
            $eloquentModel->setAttribute('location',  DB::raw("GeomFromText('POINT(" . $point . ")')") );
        }

    });

    static::updated(function($eloquentModel){

        if(isset($eloquentModel->latitude, $eloquentModel->longitude)){
            $point = $eloquentModel->geoToPoint($eloquentModel->latitude, $eloquentModel->longitude);
            DB::statement("UPDATE " . $eloquentModel->getTable() . " SET location = GeomFromText('POINT(" . $point . ")') WHERE id = ". $eloquentModel->id);
        }

    });
}

About migrations, like @jhmilan says you can always use the Schema::create and DB::statement methods to customize the migration.

Schema::create('locations', function($table){
        $table->engine = "MYISAM";
        $table->increments('id')->unsigned();
        $table->decimal('latitude', 10, 8); 
        $table->decimal('longitude', 11, 8);
        $table->timestamps();
    });

    /*Espatial Column*/
    DB::statement('ALTER TABLE locations ADD location POINT NOT NULL' );
    /*Espatial index (MYISAM only)*/
    DB::statement( 'ALTER TABLE locations ADD SPATIAL INDEX index_point(location)' );