[12.x] mergeIfMissing allows merging with nested arrays

[KIKOmanasijev]

Hello,

This PR updates the mergeIfMissing method from the Http/Request class to allow merging with nested arrays using the "." (dot) notation.

The section named "Actual Behaviour" marks Laravel's current implementation output for the described scenario, while the "Expected Behaviour" shows the output if using my changes to the Http/Request class.

I've added 2 assertions to the testMergeIfMissingMethod test.

Problem / Setting up the scenario:

• I've been sending POST requests to my endpoint with the following payload:

{
    "user": {
        "first_name: "Taylor"
    }
}

and tried merging the input in my controller with:

$request->mergeIfMissing([
    'user.last_name' => 'Otwell'
]);

Expected Behaviour

expecting to set the current request input to:

[
    'user' => [
        'first_name' => 'Taylor',
        'last_name' => 'Otwell
    ]
]

Actual Behaviour

but instead I was getting:

{
    "user": {
        "first_name": "Taylor"
    },
    "user.last_name": "Otwell"
}

[KIKOmanasijev]

Hey @driesvints I've fixed the failing tests from this PR. Can you take a look at this whenever you have the time, and let me know if you need anything from my side?

[matiazar]

@KIKOmanasijev thank you !!!

[eldair]

@KIKOmanasijev am I missing something or does this affect merge method as well since all the changes are on that method?

[KIKOmanasijev]

@eldair Nope, you are not missing out on anything. mergeIfMissing was relying on merge to handle the merging of the request data.

Basically, merge() gets the upgrade, and mergeIfMissing() benefits from it without needing its own separate tweak.

I guess I could have been more concise when choosing the PR title.

[eldair]

Thanks for clarifying. My concern is the upgrade guide for laravel 12, which explicitly mentions mergeIfMissing only, while the real change is much bigger and will affect more people.

Otherwise I'm more than happy that this is for the merge method as well.