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While developing complex applications, sometimes we have to validate fields and data in a totally customized way, at that time you can use laravel's custom validations rules functionality.

In this tutorial, we are going to create our own custom validation rule to compare UUID. In our case, I have to check the UUID which is actually a binary string, whether it exists on DB or not.

Laravel doesn't provide any rule to compare that binary UUID string, so we will create our own validation rule.

So let's create our custom validation rule::

Generate Custom Validation Class

So here we have created a new class named UuidExists into App\Rules

namespace App\Rules;
use Illuminate\Contracts\Validation\Rule;
use Ramsey\Uuid\Uuid;
class UuidExists implements Rule
{

    protected $table;
    protected $column;

    public function __construct($table, $column)
    {
        $this->table = $table;
        $this->column = $column;
    }
    public function passes($attribute, $value)
    {
        $value = Uuid::fromString(strtolower($value))->getBytes();
        return \DB::table($this->table)->where($this->column, $value)->exists();
    }
    public function message()
    {
        return 'The validation error message.';
    }
}

Add Rule to AppServiceProvider

Add your rule to AppServiceProvider.php into boot() method. here I have to give the name uuid_exists to my custom rule. you can give your own name whatever you want.

\Validator::extend('uuid_exists', function ($attribute, $value, $parameters, $validator) {
    list($table, $column) = $parameters;
    return (new UuidExists($table, $column))->passes($attribute, $value);
});

How to use custom rules?

You can use your custom rule as follows. Here we have using the required and uuid_exists rule, where we are passing attributes and values to our custom rule, which will be used to passes($attribute, $value) function.

'tenant_id' => ['required', 'uuid_exists:tenant_id,uuid']

Keep connected to us for more interesting posts about Laravel.

In the last blog we have discussed two perspectives namely Financial Perspective and Internal Process perspective out of four perspectives of BSC. Let's look at the remaining two perspectives.

Customer Perspective

We all know that the 'Customer is the king of the market' and that's why we need to ensure that we have a satisfied customer group in the market.

Each organization serves a specific need in the market and this is done with a target group in mind. There are many points to focus like the Quality, Price, Service, and acceptable Margins on the products and/or services.

The organization always tries to meet customers' expectations in the market and that's why any organization needs to keep its eyes on the market and be ready to adapt to changes quickly.

The existence of alternatives( competitors ) has a huge influence on customers' expectations and we need to focus on overall market trends to build satisfied buyers in the market.

This perspective answer the question: "How attractive should we appear to our customers?"

In short, we need to focus on three points-

1. Target Group in Market
2. The expectation of the Customers
3. Our Competitors

After focusing on these points definitely, we will be able to lure maximum potential customers in the market.

Learning and Growth Perspective

In today's competitive era, if we are not ready/capable of learning something new then it's next to impossible to survive in the market as 'nothing is constant only the change is constant.

Here knowledge is not important but advancing knowledge plays a vital role.

The organization's learning ability and innovation indicate whether an organization is capable of continuous improvement and growth in a dynamic environment or not. The dynamic environment is subject to change on a daily basis due to new laws, economical changes, technological changes, or even increasing competition.

This perspective answer the questions:

"How can we sustain our ability to achieve our chosen strategy ?"

To know more about the BSC please read my upcoming weekly Blog.

Here we will learn how to send real-time notifications using Pusher + Laravel.

First of all, you need to create an account in the Pusher and get API keys from there.

Setting up your Laravel application

Now we need to install Pusher SDK, you can install it by the composer using the below command,

composer require pusher/pusher-php-server

After the composer is done, we will need to configure Laravel to use Pusher as its broadcast driver, update the below variables in the .env file,

PUSHER_APP_ID=123456
BROADCAST_DRIVER=pusher

// Get the API Keys from your pusher dashboard

PUSHER_APP_ID=XXXXX
PUSHER_APP_KEY=XXXXXXX
PUSHER_APP_SECRET=XXXXXXX

Open config/app.phpand uncomment the "App\Providers\BroadcastServiceProvider::class".

Now we need an event that will be broadcast to the pusher driver. Let's create a NotificationEvent.

php artisan make:event NotificationEvent

This command will create a below file

namespace App\Events;
use Illuminate\Queue\SerializesModels;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Events\Dispatchable;
use Illuminate\Broadcasting\InteractsWithSockets;
use Illuminate\Contracts\Broadcasting\ShouldBroadcast;
class NotificationEvent implements ShouldBroadcast
{
    use Dispatchable, InteractsWithSockets, SerializesModels;
    public $username;
    public $message;
    public function __construct($username)
    {
        $this->username = $username;
        $this->message  = "{$username} send you a notification";
    }
    public function broadcastOn()
    {
        //it is a broadcasting channel you need to add this route in channels.php file
        return ['notification-send'];
    }
}

Add broadcasting route in channels.php file

Broadcast::channel('notification-send', function ($user) {
    return true;
}); 

Cache Event at Javascript Side

// Initiate the Pusher JS library

var pusher = new Pusher('YOUR_API_KEY', {
    encrypted: true
});

// Subscribe to the channel we used in our Laravel Event

var channel = pusher.subscribe('notification-send');
channel.bind('App\\Events\\NotificationEvent', function(data) {
    // this is called when the event notification is received...
});

Testing and Setup

Using the below route we can send a notification.

Route::get('test', function () {
    event(new App\Events\NotificationEvent('Monika'));
    return "Event has been sent!";
});

Dear, Friend in this blog we discussion google ad integration. Many companies work in client base & product base. Product based company in very very important ad integration in the app. Multiple types of AD are available like a Facebook ad, start-up ad, google ad, etc. Today we learning google ad integration.

Type of Google AD:

• Banner AD
• Interstitial Ad
• Rewarded Video Ad
• Native Ad

1.Banner Ad

Banner Ads occupy only a portion of the screen depending on the ad size that is created. It comes in multiple sizes Standard, Medium, Large, Full-Size, Leaderboard, and Smart Banner. Smart banners are very useful when you target multiple device sizes and fit the same ad depending on the screen size.

2.Interstitial Ads

Interstitial ads occupy the full screen of the app. Basically, they will show on a timely basis, between screen transition or when the user is done with a task.

3.Rewarded Video Ad

This ad shows a video-type ad.

4.Native Ad

In this app in full description ad showing.

Create a new project

Create a new project in Android Studio from File ⇒ New Project.

Open build. Gradle and add play services dependency as AdMob requires it.

compile ‘com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:11.8.0’

build.gradle
dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    testCompile 'junit:junit:4.12'
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:26.1.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:design:26.1.0'

    compile 'ccom.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:11.8.0'
}

Add the App ID and Ad unit IDs to your strings.xml.

    AdMob
    Interstitial
    Welcome to Admob. Click on the below button to launch the Interstitial ad.
    Show Interstitial Ad
    Show Rewarded Video Ad

    ca-app-pub-XXXXXXXX~XXXXXXXXXXX
    ca-app-pub-XXXXXXXX~XXXXXXXXXXX
    ca-app-pub-XXXXXXXX~XXXXXXXXXXX
    ca-app-pub-XXXXXXXX~XXXXXXXXXXX

Create a class named MyApplication.java and extend the class from Application. In this application class, we have to globally initialize the AdMob App Id. Here we use MobileAds.initialize()

MyApplication.java

public class MyApplication extends Application {

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
         MobileAds.initialize(this, getString(R.string.admob_app_id));
    }
}

Open AndroidManifest.xml and add MyApplication to tag.

<meta-data
    android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"
    android:value="ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/6300978111"/>

What is Performance Testing?

Performance testing, which is a non-functional testing method performed to determine system parameters in terms of responsiveness and stability under various workloads. Performance testing measures the quality characteristics of a system, such as a scalability, reliability, and resource use.

Types of Performance Testing

There are mainly six types of performance testing Let's see in detail.

Load Testing

It is the simplest form of testing conducted to understand the behavior of the system under a specific load. The load tests will determine the measurement of important business-critical transactions and will also monitor the load on the database, application server, etc.

Stress Testing

It is performed to find the upper limit capacity of the system and also to determine how the system is operating if the current load greatly exceeds the expected maximum.

Spike Testing

The Spike test is performed by suddenly increasing the number of users by a very large amount and measuring system performance. The main objective is to determine whether the system will be able to carry the workload.

Scalability testing

It Measures performance based on the software's ability to increase or decrease performance measurement attributes. For example, a scalability test could be performed based on the number of user requests.

Volume Testing

Under large test volume no. From. The data is filled in a database and the overall behavior of the program system is monitored. The goal is to check the performance of the software application under different database sizes.

Endurance Testing

It is done to make sure the software can handle the expected load over a long period of time.

We will see full performance testing process points in our next article, to continue...

GIF logo file formats are not as widely used as they once were. They have a very limited color spectrum (only 256 colors out of millions in JPG) so solid color logos are a good candidate for this format. A special feature of the GIF file is that it supports smooth animation. You can create frames with frame animations and file sizes will be negligible as long as you keep the color flat and smooth (from red to blue). GIF files are pixel-based and do not expand well.

EPS and AI logo file formats are a sacred grail of file formats. They are made up of dots and lines, not pixels, allowing infinite scaling and expansion without losing quality. Many business owners and executives ignore these logo file formats because they cannot open them normally. Many common MS Office fee programs do not open the EPS logo file format. EPS files can also support pixels, which also makes this file format difficult. Software such as Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, or Photoshop can work with this file format and optimize and save almost any logo file format you need. Illustrator will allow resizing, color mode change, and more.

PDF logo file formats can also be difficult as PDF color mode can disguise spectra and resolution. Some common office fee software will open or import PDFs but one way to tell if the resolution is good is to zoom in very closely to the logo. If the edges stay crisp, you’re in business and a graphic designer who can use something in print and digital applications. If the edges become blurred or pixelated, you will be limited in the use and extension of this particular logo file format.

SVG files have become more common on websites and digital access and are considered the standard format for displaying vector graphics on the web. SVG logo file formats allow a resizable logo format that does not lose image quality as it is expanded or reduced. This is especially important with responsive web design where the logo file can be resized depending on the digital device the website is viewing. Another major advantage for the SVG logo file format is the relatively small file size - which allows a digital file to load on a website very quickly. Support is limited to SVG but website design is an important place for their use.

Many successful small business owners are constantly looking to expand their customer base and grow their businesses. However, business growth can be a difficult and long-term process. One of the key elements of growing a business is constant access to a steady stream of sales leads. A lead is a person or business if you have a company that sells to other businesses that are interested in the products or services you sell.

Here are some tips for building a system that will help you identify sales leads in your small business, and - with the right focus and effort - turn them into customers.

1. Increase your engagement with your customers

Relationships are all about sales and talking to the people who reach out to you to do so. For example, when people reach you with questions about your product or company, instead of just mentioning them on your blog, you can ask them if they mind having a quick chat with you.

2. Constantly refresh your email lists

It is impossible to generate leads from an old email list that contains incorrect information or does not match the parameters of your target person. If you haven't cleaned up your email list for a while, you may still be cold-emailed people who are already your customers.

3. Use chatbots on your website

Customers want to do business with companies that respond promptly to questions. Although companies respond within 12 hours on average, research shows that consumers expect responses within 1 hour. You might think, "Well, but they know we're not working right now," or, "They'll surely understand that we're in another realm of time." While customers can understand and understand later, there are thousands of businesses offering services just like yours, so you don't want to take that opportunity.

4. Join and participate in social media groups

LinkedIn and Facebook are great places to connect with other professionals, share your skills, and find leads. Once you join a group, don't start by pitching members as this can cause people to separate. Instead, do the following to establish a relationship:

• Start a conversation
• Engage in other people's conversations
• People appreciated their content and the events they were planning to organize

Once the group members recognize you, you can use the platform to generate interest in your products.

5. Use SEO to increase website traffic

High ranking your website in search results will increase your website traffic. To get a better rank, you must do search engine optimization on your website. Some of the basics of SEO include:

• Keyword optimization on both landing pages and blog content
• Constantly great content post
• Link building

Again, it is important to point out that SEO and content creation can be technical and time-consuming.

6. Create a sales funnel

Once you know who you are targeting and decide how to reach them, you need to have a plan to collect contact information. The first part of the process involves funneling all prospects into a standard form or landing page that encourages them to share their contact information, usually in exchange for a free gift, coupon, sample, or any other value-added incentive.

7. Use an email newsletter to build relationships

Now that you’re in touch with prospects, it’s time to cultivate those relationships so you can take them from the lead stage through sales (and ultimately repeat sales). One of the best ways to keep in touch with your prospects is through an email newsletter.

Payments gateways are very useful components of any e-commerce store. One of the popular payment gateways is Stripe. it's becoming more popular nowadays.

Stripe's simple definition is :

We bring together everything that’s required to build websites and apps that accept payments and send payouts globally. Stripe’s products power payments for online and in-person retailers, subscription businesses, software platforms and marketplaces, and everything in between. ~ Stripe

To begin this laravel tutorial, I hope you already have fresh laravel repo.

Stripe Configuration with Laravel

Run the following command to install stripe :

composer require stripe/stripe-php

if you don't have a Stripe account, you'll want to set that up and add your API keys. Add the following to your .env file.

STRIPE_KEY=your-stripe-key
STRIPE_SECRET=your-stripe-secret

Publish Migrations Files From Stripe

php artisan vendor:publish --tag="cashier-migrations" 

And Run migrations by hitting the following command

php artisan migrate 

Setup Stripe Controller

Now create a stripe controller by hitting the following command:

php artisan make:controller StripeController
namespace App\Http\Controllers;
use Illuminate\Contracts\View\Factory;
use Illuminate\Http\JsonResponse;
use Illuminate\Http\RedirectResponse;
use Illuminate\Http\Request;
use Stripe\Checkout\Session;
use Stripe\Exception\ApiErrorException;
/**
 * Class FeaturedCompanySubscriptionController
 */
class StripeControlle extends AppBaseController
{
    public function createSession(Request $request)
    {
        setStripeApiKey();
        $session = Session::create([
            'payment_method_types' => ['card'],
            'customer_email'       => $userEmail,
            'line_items'           => [
                [
                    'price_data'  => [
                        'product_data' => [
                            'name' => 'Make '.$company->user->first_name.' as featured Company',
                        ],
                        'unit_amount'  => 100 * 100,
                        'currency'     => 'USD',
                    ],
                    'quantity'    => 1,
                    'description' => '',
                ],
            ],
            'client_reference_id'  => '1234',
            'mode'                 => 'payment',
            'success_url'          => url('payment-success').'?session_id={CHECKOUT_SESSION_ID}',
            'cancel_url'           => url('failed-payment?error=payment_cancelled'),
        ]);
        $result = [
            'sessionId' => $session['id'],
        ];
        return $this->sendResponse($result, 'Session created successfully.');
    }
    public function paymentSuccess(Request $request)
    {
        $sessionId = $request->get('session_id');
        // 
    }

    public function handleFailedPayment()
    {
        // 
    }
}

Define Routes

    Route::post('stripe-charge', 'StripeController@createSession');
    Route::get('payment-success', 'StripeController@paymentSuccess');
    Route::get('failed-payment',  'StripeController@handleFailedPayment');

Setup From View file

Here we are going to create stripe session from the backend and redirect to the stripe checkout page once we will receive the sessionId from the backend.

Assume that makePaymentURL is something like "APP_URL/stripe-charge".

Now let's say when you hit the submit form of stripe it will call MakePaymentURL and that URL returns your session ID which we will use to redirect to the stripe checkout page.

 $(document).on('click', '#makePayment', function () {

        $(this).addClass('disabled');
        $.post(makePaymentURL, payloadData).done((result) => {
            let sessionId = result.data.sessionId;
            stripe.redirectToCheckout({
                sessionId: sessionId,
            }).then(function (result) {
                $(this).html('Make Featured').removeClass('disabled');
                manageAjaxErrors(result);
            });
        }).catch(error => {
            $(this).html('Make Featured').removeClass('disabled');
            manageAjaxErrors(error);
        });
    });

That's it, after entering proper details into stripe you will get a success callback to a related route, where you can perform related actions.