Laravel Eloquent - Order By Relation macro

eloquent_macro.php

<?php
Builder::macro('orderByRelation', function(string $searchColumn, string $dir) {
            list($relation, $column) = explode('.', $searchColumn);
            $relation_table = $this->getRelation($relation)->getModel()->getTable();
            $relation_foreign_key = $this->getRelation($relation)->getForeignKeyName();
            $query_table = $this->getModel()->getTable();

            $this->select($query_table . '.*')
                ->join($relation_table, $query_table . '.' . $relation_foreign_key, '=', $relation_table . '.id')
                ->orderBy($relation_table . '.' . $column, $dir);
            
            return $this;
        });

Laravel Eloquent - Order By Relation

Usage

Put the macro to AppServiceProvider.php -> boot() function

Example

Models

Post.php

class Post extends Model
{

    public function group()
    {
        return $this->belongsTo(Group::class);
    }


}

Group.php

class Group extends Model
{

    public function posts()
    {
        return $this->hasMany(Post::class);
    }


}

Get posts ordered by Group name

App\Models\Post::orderByRelation('group.name', 'DESC')->get()

Thanks

can I propose an add-on?
I just added an if but I think it could be done better_

<?php

Builder::macro('orderByRelation', function(string $searchColumn, string $dir) {
            if(str_contains($searchColumn,'.')){
            list($relation, $column) = explode('.', $searchColumn);
            $relation_table = $this->getRelation($relation)->getModel()->getTable();
            $relation_foreign_key = $this->getRelation($relation)->getForeignKeyName();
            $query_table = $this->getModel()->getTable();
            $this->select($query_table . '.*')
                ->join($relation_table, $query_table . '.' . $relation_foreign_key, '=', $relation_table . '.id')
                ->orderBy($relation_table . '.' . $column, $dir);
            }else{
            $this->orderBy($searchColumn,$dir);
            }
        });

This way we let the dev decide if the orderBy inherits a relationship or not

thanks for the suggestion @paulgiorgi but I think this is not needed. This macro (Eloquent function) is specifically for ordering by relation where you need the dot notation. What you are doing is basically just reverting back to normal orderBy() function, which you can use in the first place instead of this one if you need to order by column.

This way we can keep that ->orderByRelation at the end of a model's filtering and decide. but you know, you're right, there's no need here. thanks man, so precious

Hi, This might help you.

$users = User::get()->sortBy(function($query){
return $query->role->name;
})->all();

$users = User::with(['role' => function ($q) {
$q->orderBy('name', 'desc');
}])->get();

$users = User::select('*')
->orderBy(Role::select('name')
->whereColumn('roles.id', 'users.role_id')
);

You should return $this at the end so you could chain your query together.
For example: you can call ->get() directly on the orderByRelation (orderByRelation('relation.column')->get())

You should return $this at the end so you could chain your query together. For example: you can call ->get() directly on the orderByRelation (orderByRelation('relation.column')->get())

Good catch, forgot to include that. Thanks!