How to set .env values in laravel programmatically on the fly

I have a custom CMS that I am writing from scratch in Laravel and want to set env values i.e. database details, mailer details, general configuration, etc from controller once the user sets up and want to give user the flexibility to change them on the go using the GUI that I am making.

So my question is how do I write the values received from user to the .env file as an when I need from the controller.

And is it a good idea to build the .env file on the go or is there any other way around it?

Thanks in advance.

Solution 1:

Since Laravel uses config files to access and store .env data, you can set this data on the fly with config() method:

config(['database.connections.mysql.host' => '127.0.0.1']);

To get this data use config():

config('database.connections.mysql.host')

To set configuration values at runtime, pass an array to the config helper

https://laravel.com/docs/5.3/configuration#accessing-configuration-values

Solution 2:

Watch out! Not all variables in the laravel .env are stored in the config environment. To overwrite real .env content use simply:

putenv ("CUSTOM_VARIABLE=hero");

To read as usual, env('CUSTOM_VARIABLE') or env('CUSTOM_VARIABLE', 'devault')

NOTE: Depending on which part of your app uses the env setting, you may need to set the variable early by placing it into your index.php or bootstrap.php file. Setting it in your app service provider may be too late for some packages/uses of the env settings.

Solution 3:

Based on josh's answer. I needed a way to replace the value of a key inside the .env file.

But unlike josh's answer, I did not want to depend on knowing the current value or the current value being accessible in a config file at all.

Since my goal is to replace values that are used by Laravel Envoy which doesn't use a config file at all but instead uses the .env file directly.

Here's my take on it:

public function setEnvironmentValue($envKey, $envValue)
{
    $envFile = app()->environmentFilePath();
    $str = file_get_contents($envFile);

    $oldValue = strtok($str, "{$envKey}=");

    $str = str_replace("{$envKey}={$oldValue}", "{$envKey}={$envValue}\n", $str);

    $fp = fopen($envFile, 'w');
    fwrite($fp, $str);
    fclose($fp);
}

Usage:

$this->setEnvironmentValue('DEPLOY_SERVER', '[email protected]');

Solution 4:

Based on totymedli's answer.

Where it is required to change multiple enviroment variable values at once, you could pass an array (key->value). Any key not present previously will be added and a bool is returned so you can test for success.

public function setEnvironmentValue(array $values)
{

    $envFile = app()->environmentFilePath();
    $str = file_get_contents($envFile);

    if (count($values) > 0) {
        foreach ($values as $envKey => $envValue) {

            $str .= "\n"; // In case the searched variable is in the last line without \n
            $keyPosition = strpos($str, "{$envKey}=");
            $endOfLinePosition = strpos($str, "\n", $keyPosition);
            $oldLine = substr($str, $keyPosition, $endOfLinePosition - $keyPosition);

            // If key does not exist, add it
            if (!$keyPosition || !$endOfLinePosition || !$oldLine) {
                $str .= "{$envKey}={$envValue}\n";
            } else {
                $str = str_replace($oldLine, "{$envKey}={$envValue}", $str);
            }

        }
    }

    $str = substr($str, 0, -1);
    if (!file_put_contents($envFile, $str)) return false;
    return true;

}

Solution 5:

More simplified:

public function putPermanentEnv($key, $value)
{
    $path = app()->environmentFilePath();

    $escaped = preg_quote('='.env($key), '/');

    file_put_contents($path, preg_replace(
        "/^{$key}{$escaped}/m",
        "{$key}={$value}",
        file_get_contents($path)
    ));
}

or as helper:

if ( ! function_exists('put_permanent_env'))
{
    function put_permanent_env($key, $value)
    {
        $path = app()->environmentFilePath();

        $escaped = preg_quote('='.env($key), '/');

        file_put_contents($path, preg_replace(
            "/^{$key}{$escaped}/m",
           "{$key}={$value}",
           file_get_contents($path)
        ));
    }
}