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InvalidReactionSourceException

The InvalidReactionSourceException is thrown when attempting to create a reaction without a valid reactor or device identifier.

Namespace​

JobMetric\Reaction\Exceptions\InvalidReactionSourceException

Overview​

This exception is thrown during reaction creation when neither a reactor (user) nor a device_id is provided. Reactions must have at least one identifier to track who or what made the reaction.

When It's Thrown​

The exception is thrown in the Reaction model's creating event when:

  • No reactor (user) is provided (reactor_type and reactor_id are both null/empty)
  • No device identifier is provided (device_id is null/empty)
  • Both conditions are true (no way to identify the source of the reaction)

Exception Details​

Message​

The exception message is retrieved from the translation file:

trans('reaction::base.exceptions.invalid_reaction_source')

HTTP Status Code​

Default HTTP status code: 400 (Bad Request)

How to Avoid​

Provide a Reactor​

$article->addReaction('like', $user); // ✅ Valid - user provided

Provide a Device ID​

$article->addReaction('like', null, ['device_id' => 'device-123']); // ✅ Valid - device_id provided

Invalid Usage​

// ❌ This will throw InvalidReactionSourceException
$article->addReaction('like'); // No reactor, no device_id
$article->addReaction('like', null); // No reactor, no device_id
$article->addReaction('like', null, []); // No reactor, no device_id

Handling the Exception​

Try-Catch Block​

use JobMetric\Reaction\Exceptions\InvalidReactionSourceException;

try {
    $article->addReaction('like');
} catch (InvalidReactionSourceException $e) {
    // Handle the exception
    return response()->json([
        'error' => 'A reactor or device identifier is required',
    ], 400);
}

In Controllers​

use JobMetric\Reaction\Exceptions\InvalidReactionSourceException;

public function like(Article $article)
{
    try {
        $user = auth()->user();
        $deviceId = request()->header('X-Device-ID');
        
        if ($user) {
            $article->addReaction('like', $user);
        } elseif ($deviceId) {
            $article->addReaction('like', null, ['device_id' => $deviceId]);
        } else {
            throw new InvalidReactionSourceException();
        }
        
        return response()->json(['success' => true]);
    } catch (InvalidReactionSourceException $e) {
        return response()->json([
            'error' => $e->getMessage(),
        ], 400);
    }
}

Global Exception Handler​

use JobMetric\Reaction\Exceptions\InvalidReactionSourceException;

public function register(): void
{
    $this->renderable(function (InvalidReactionSourceException $e, $request) {
        if ($request->expectsJson()) {
            return response()->json([
                'error' => 'A reactor or device identifier is required to add a reaction',
            ], 400);
        }
        
        return redirect()->back()->with('error', $e->getMessage());
    });
}

Complete Examples​

Safe Reaction Addition​

public function react(Article $article, string $reaction)
{
    $user = auth()->user();
    $deviceId = request()->header('X-Device-ID');
    
    try {
        if ($user) {
            $article->addReaction($reaction, $user);
        } elseif ($deviceId) {
            $article->addReaction($reaction, null, ['device_id' => $deviceId]);
        } else {
            throw new InvalidReactionSourceException();
        }
        
        return response()->json(['success' => true]);
    } catch (InvalidReactionSourceException $e) {
        return response()->json([
            'error' => 'Please log in or provide a device identifier',
        ], 400);
    }
}

Middleware for Device ID​

class EnsureDeviceId
{
    public function handle($request, Closure $next)
    {
        if (!auth()->check() && !$request->header('X-Device-ID')) {
            return response()->json([
                'error' => 'Device identifier required for anonymous reactions',
            ], 400);
        }
        
        return $next($request);
    }
}

When to Use​

This exception helps ensure data integrity by requiring that every reaction has a source identifier. Use it to:

  • Validate Input: Ensure reactions always have a source
  • Data Integrity: Prevent orphaned reactions without identifiers
  • Security: Ensure proper tracking of reaction sources
  • Analytics: Ensure all reactions can be tracked and analyzed