RFC: Method to retrieve attributes as array

[jeremyworboys]

I'm thinking something like:

$fm->define('User', array(
    'username' => Faker::firstNameMale()
));

$fm->attributes('User');
// returns: array('username' => 'Jack')

I'm happy to write a pull request for this, I just want to get some feedback before I put any time into it.

[GrahamCampbell]

This will never happen because of the fact that attribute generation could be dependent on the state of the User model, for example, the generation of relationships.

[scottrobertson]

@GrahamCampbell I think he means before we even call ->create

[GrahamCampbell]

Yeh, I know, but that will cause many issues.

[GrahamCampbell]

In 3.0, you do have access to the generator factory though: https://github.com/thephpleague/factory-muffin/blob/30e9b3b821e29bec30315079ab717e49eedad748/src/FactoryMuffin.php#L548.

[scottrobertson]

Yeah i guess, and if he really needs it, a simple work around is:

$fm->define('User', array(
    'username' => Faker::firstNameMale()
));

$user = $fm->instance('User');
// $user->toArray(): array('username' => 'Jack')

[GrahamCampbell]

Yeh.