internal casting implementation use Collections for settings

README.md

@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ Add settings feature to Eloquent models in Laravel 5.
 
 ## Background
 
-This has been developed to simplify adding "settings" feature to any eloquent model on your laravel project. Settings WILL be stored in `json` format, which has it's pros and cons!
+This has been developed to simplify adding "settings" feature to any eloquent model on your laravel project. 
+
+Settings WILL be stored in `json` format/object! Is `json` the best way? Well it's your call! pros: super flexible, you can add/remove settings without code alteration (apart from `app/config/model-settings.php` see below). cons: expensive when querying/searching for certain `key => value` in `settings` per model.
+
+`settings` will be casted into Laravel `Collection` for maximum functionality and usage.
 
 ## Installation
 To install the package via Composer:
@@ -29,7 +33,7 @@ php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Yarob\LaravelModelSettings\ServiceProvide
 ## Updating your Eloquent Models
 
 Your models should use the `hasSettings` trait.
-You must also add `settings` to your `fillable` array, and then cast `settings` to `json` as shown in the example below
+You must also add `settings` to your `fillable` array as shown in the example below
 
 ```php
 use Yarob\LaravelModelSettings\HasSettings;
@@ -46,21 +50,15 @@ class User extends Model
     protected $fillable = [
         'name', 'email', 'settings'
     ];
-
-
-    /**
-     * The attributes that should be casted.
-     *
-     * @var array
-     */
-    protected $casts = [
-        'settings' =>'json',
-    ];
 
 }
 ```
 
-Your model and database must have column named `settings` in the database to store the settings values. You can add this manually via a migration on the intended model. The column should be text and big enough to store all settings after json encoded.
+## Migration
+Your model MUST have column named `settings` in the database to store the settings values.
+
+You can add this manually via a migration on the intended model ```php $table->json('settings')->nullable(); ```. 
+The column should be big enough to accommodate all settings after json encoded.
 
 ## Usage
 
@@ -74,7 +72,7 @@ $user->settings()->save(array(
 		'phone_number' => '0123456789'
 	    ));
 
-dd($user->settings);
+print_r($user->settings);
 ```
 ## Configuration
 
@@ -95,7 +93,18 @@ return [
 ];
 ```
 
+Pay attention that Model name in `model-settings.php` is case sensitive! so if you have a `foo` Model, then
 
+```php
+return [
+    'foo' => [
+    		'key1',
+    		'key2',
+    		...
+    	],
+    	...
+];
+```
 
 ## Copyright and License
 

src/HasSettings.php

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace Yarob\LaravelModelSettings;
 
+use ErrorException;
 use Yarob\LaravelModelSettings\Services\ModelSettingsService;
 
 /**
@@ -44,13 +45,32 @@ public static function settingsSaved($callback)
     }
 
     /**
-     * Return the sluggable configuration array for this model.
-     * Must be implemented at the model class
      *
-     * @return array
+     * @return \Yarob\LaravelModelSettings\Services\ModelSettingsService
      */
     public function settings()
     {
     	return new ModelSettingsService($this);
     }
+
+	/**
+	 * Define `settings` Accessor for Models
+	 *
+	 * @param $settings
+	 * @return collection
+	 * @throws ErrorException
+	 */
+    public function getSettingsAttribute($settings)
+    {
+    	$jsonDecodedSettings = json_decode($settings);
+
+	    if(json_last_error() == JSON_ERROR_NONE)
+	    {
+    	    return collect( $jsonDecodedSettings );
+	    }
+	    else
+	    {
+	    	throw new ErrorException('None json format encountered in `settings` column on `'.$this->getTable().'` table on database!');
+	    }
+    }
 }

src/Services/ModelSettingsService.php

@@ -33,34 +33,39 @@ public function __construct(Model $model=null)
 	/**
 	 * Save settings for current model.
 	 *
-	 * @param null $settings
-	 * @return bool
+	 * @param array $rawSettings
+	 * @return bool/collection
 	 * @throws ErrorException
 	 * @internal param Model $model
 	 */
-    public function save($settings=null)
+    public function save($rawSettings=array())
     {
-    	if(!empty($settings) and !empty($this->model))
+    	if(!empty($this->model) and is_array($rawSettings) and !empty($rawSettings))
 	    {
 	    	if (!Schema::hasColumn($this->model->getTable(), 'settings')) {
-	    		throw new ErrorException('"settings" column seems to be missing on "'.class_basename($this->model).'" table on database!');
+	    		throw new ErrorException('`settings` column seems to be missing on `'.$this->model->getTable().'` table on database!');
 		    }
 		    else
 	        {
 		        $allowedSettingsKeys = $this->getConfiguration();
-				$oldSettings = is_array($this->model->settings)?$this->model->settings:array();
 
-		        $settings = array_merge(
+				$oldSettings = $this->model->settings->toArray();
+
+		        $newSettings = array_merge(
 			        $oldSettings,
 			        array_only(
-			        	$settings,
+				        $rawSettings,
 				        $allowedSettingsKeys
 			        )
 		        );
 
-		        return $this->model->update(compact('settings'));
+		        if($this->model->update( array( 'settings' => json_encode($newSettings) ) ))
+		        {
+		        	return collect($newSettings);
+		        }
 		    }
 	    }
+	    return false;
     }
 
     /**