[v6] Add BackedEnum support

[drbyte]

Fixes #1991

Note: Requires PHP 8.1+

/cc @ceejayoz
/cc @edalzell

[drbyte]

Feedback welcome. I know there are lots of varying ways people like to implement enums. This covers the basics, but if there are some clear use-cases that aren't supported here, this is a good time to make adjustments.

[drbyte]

/cc @boumanb

[MarcusOhman91]

Great job, this should really be the recommended way to implement permissions. I did it so far by overriding methods in the HasRole and HasPermission traits, not having to do this would be great.

Having all permissions defined in an Enum is so much cleaner and sustainable rather than using plain strings. Really neat with helpers as in your example to tie presentational data with each permission which I've been using as well to tie a description and category to each permission

[edalzell]

Why is the interface needed?

[boumanb]

@drbyte to me this looks like a perfect PR example. It's specific and well-documented.

Why is the interface needed?

If I may answer; to assure it's a BackedEnum. To quote from the PHP documentation:

The BackedEnum interface is automatically applied to backed enumerations by the engine. It may not be implemented by user-defined classes. Enumerations may not override its methods, as default implementations are provided by the engine. It is available only for type checks.

The approach of @drbyte follows the example of the comment in the BackedEnum PHP documentation. Although the BackedEnum interface may not be implemented it CAN BE extended.

Nevertheless, I think the solution works without extending the BackedEnum and creating a BackedEnumInterface too. Because the BackedEnum interface is automatically applied to backed enumeration by the engine.

[edalzell]

Why is the interface needed?

If I may answer; to assure it's a BackedEnum. To quote from the PHP documentation:

The BackedEnum interface is automatically applied to backed enumerations by the engine. It may not be implemented by user-defined classes. Enumerations may not override its methods, as default implementations are provided by the engine. It is available only for type checks.

The approach of @drbyte follows the example of the comment in the BackedEnum PHP documentation. Although the BackedEnum interface may not be implemented it CAN BE extended.

Sure but you can do this to get a BackedEnum:

...and that interface is never checked anywhere, only BackedEnum. So it seems like it's not used anywhere?

Sorry for my confusion if I'm way off track here, trying to learn!

[edalzell]

To be super clear, I'm talking about this:

[boumanb]

Sorry for my confusion if I'm way off track here, trying to learn!

I've edited my comment. I think you're right and the BackedEnumInterface is not necessary.

[drbyte]

the BackedEnumInterface is not necessary

Yes, you're correct.

I had tried extending BackedEnum, but that triggered errors. I didn't test Enum directly without extending or implementing an interface.

I'll update the code in a bit.

[drbyte]

I'll update the code in a bit.

Updated.
Also revised the docs a bit as well.

Question: For those of you who have been using Enums already, how have you handled can() and @can() situations? And route middleware parameters?

[edalzell]

This is very awesome @drbyte and @erikn69, thanks for doing this!

[erikn69]

I think it was missing to add support for enum in the models
create, findByName, findOrCreate
Example: erikn69@fa01c59

[drbyte]

add support for enum in the models: create, findByName, findOrCreate

@erikn69 I'd support a PR for that addition.