Laravel 5.2 - Using route parameters in middleware

PurlGurl.php

<?php namespace App\Lib\Purlgurl;

/**
 * Class Purlgurl
 *
 * This class provides the purlgurl functionality - tracking visitors, and obtaining the responder from the request
 *
 */

use App;
use Config;
use DB;
use Exception;
use Log;
use \Illuminate\Http\Request as Request;
use Session;

class PurlGurl
{
    /**
     * @var string
     */
    public $client;

    /**
     * @var string
     */
    public $project_type;

    /**
     *
     */
    public function __construct()
    {

    }


    /**
     * trackVisit
     * @access public
     *
     * Tracks the visit to a page and associates the visitor with a responder
     *
     * @param $request
     */
    public function trackVisit(Request $request)
    {

        Log::debug(__METHOD__ . ' : bof');

        $responder = $this->retrieveResponder($request);

        // we have the responder so log the visit in the database

    }

    /**
     * getResponder
     * @access public
     *
     * Retrieves the current responder details from the request.  This is used in the Middleware.
     *
     */
    public function retrieveResponder(Request $request)
    {

        Log::debug(__METHOD__ . ' : bof');

        // does this person have a responder in session?

        if (Session::has('responder')) {

            return Session::get('responder');

        } else {

            // has this person sent a purl in the url?  if so retrieve the input, create a responder, set the session
            $parameters = $request->route()->parameters();

            if (isset($parameters['purl']) {

            } else {

                // does this person have a responder stored in their cookie?

                // if no responder create a fresh blank responder and set the cookie tying the visitor to the responder
            }

        }



    }
}

PurlGurlMiddleware.php

<?php namespace App\Http\Middleware;

/**
 * The Purl Middleware is applied to routes that we want to protect by making sure that people who access
 * them are recognized.
 */

use Closure;
use Config;
use Input;
use Log;
use PurlGurl;
use Request;
use Session;

class PurlGurlMiddleware
{

    /**
     * Create a new filter instance.
     *
     * @param  Guard  $auth
     * @return void
     */
    public function __construct()
    {

    }

    /**
     * Handle an incoming request.
     *
     * We first check if the responder details are available in the session.
     * If they're not we attempt to get them from the PURL
     * If we're not able to get them from the PURL then we redirect the person to the root if the config says so
     *
     * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request
     * @param  \Closure  $next
     * @param   string   $required Whether we must redirect if there are no responder details
     * @return mixed
     */
    public function handle(\Illuminate\Http\Request $request, Closure $next, $required = true)
    {

        PurlGurl::trackVisit($request);

        return $next($request);

    }

}

PurlGurlViewComposer.php

<?php namespace App\ViewComposers;

use Config;
use Log;
use PurlGurl;
use Session;
use Illuminate\Contracts\View\View;

class PurlGurlViewComposer
{

    /**
     * Create a new composer.
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function __construct()
    {

    }

    /**
     * Bind data to the view.
     *
     * @param  View $view
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function compose(View $view)
    {
        Log::debug(__METHOD__ . ' : bof' );

        // The middleware retrieves the responder and places their details into the session
        $responder = Session::has('responder') ? Session::get('responder') : [];

        $view->with(compact('responder'));
    }

}

routes.php

Route::group(['middleware' => ['web']], function () {

    Route::get('/{purl?}', function ($purl = 'None') {
        // handle route
    });

});