This example is not very accurate:

if ($datetime = $request->input('when')) {
    $datetime = Carbon::parse($datetime);
}

It can already be written like this:

$datetime = Carbon::make($request->input('when'));

... which does not seem too bad to me.

This example is not very accurate:

if ($datetime = $request->input('when')) {
    $datetime = Carbon::parse($datetime);
}

It can already be written like this:

$datetime = Carbon::make($request->input('when'));

... which does not seem too bad to me.

Same case for collect(). Also, you're accounting the input is not null.

Same case for collect().

I'm not sure what you mean by this?

Also, you're accounting the input is not null.

That's not true. Carbon::make(null) returns null. It's different from Carbon::parse().

Just reworked it to return null if the datetime is invalid.

Also, Carbon::make(null) doesn't accept a timezone.

I like the idea as I needed this many times, but you should probably take care of few stuff.

First, not sure why the use of Date facade, when DateTime and/or Carbon classes are sufficient for this, IMHO. Also, Carbon throws an InvalidFormatException, which I think is more expressive than just catching all invalid argument exceptions. Likewise, createFromFormat will return false on failure, so this should also be taken care of as the typehint of your date() method is Carbon or null.

First, not sure why the use of Date facade when DateTime and/or Carbon classes are sufficient for this, IMHO

The developer may be using another library. Otherwise, the Date facade wouldn't exists. I'm just using what is available. Even $model->freshTimestamp() uses the Date facade behind the scenes.

Also, Carbon throws an InvalidFormatException, which I think is more expressive than just catching all invalid argument exceptions.

Same case as above. InvalidFormatException is exclusive to the Carbon library, as far as I know. Can't catch what doesn't exists, if it doesn't.

Likewise, createFromFormat will return false on failure, so this should also be taken care of as the typehint of your date() method is Carbon or null.

I would back to my original idea: if the format or the value to be formatted is invalid, throw an exception. It will return null only if the input is null or doesn't exists.

I would back to my original idea: if the format or the value to be formatted is invalid, throw an exception. It will return null only if the input is null or doesn't exists.

Yeah okay makes sense, if it can't be parsed by Carbon then should throw an exception just like Carbon would.

I would back to my original idea: if the format or the value to be formatted is invalid, throw an exception. It will return null only if the input is null or doesn't exists.

@DarkGhostHunter I agree that this should be the behavior.

It's ready for review.

👍

I like this but I wish the function handled defaults better sans coalescing when the input isn't null so one could benefit more from the parsing upfront and I think the timezone is not needed in most cases so it could be optional in an array and use the param space for the default.

// Old
$startDate = Carbon::parse(Request::input('from', Carbon::now()->subYears(5)))->format('Ymd');
$endDate = Carbon::parse(Request::input('to', $lastTradeDate))->format('Ymd');

// New
$startDate = Request::date('from', 'Ymd') ?? Carbon::now()->subYears(5)->format('Ymd');
$endDate = Request::date('to', 'Ymd') ?? Carbon::parse($lastTradeDate)->format('Ymd'); 

// Expected?
$startDate = Request::date('from', ['Ymd'], Carbon::now()->subYears(5));
$endDate = Request::date('to', ['Ymd', 'America/Santiago'], $lastTradeDate);
$otherDate = Request::date('other', ['Ymd', 'America/Santiago']);
$anotherDate = Request::date('another', 'Ymd');