Feature: Create a collection when find() method is used.

[n0nag0n]

Context conversation from Slack:

Lucio 7:08 AM
https://fatfreeframework.com/3.7/sql-mapper#exists
Return TRUE if a given field is defined
bool exists( string $key )
It does not check if given entry exists, only checks if column exists, isn't it?
To check if entry exists will I have to $db->exec('SELECT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM table WHERE column=value)')?
I'm using hashids generated in PHP and I need to check if it already exists... (edited)

ikkez:rocket: 7:43 AM
it only checks if a fields / column is existing in your mapper

Blue 7:46 AM
load() returns false if nothing fits the filter, but in case you don't want to instanciate a new mapper to load data into it, count($db->exec("SELECT * FROM table WHERE column=value")) would evaluate to 0 if no entry was found (edited)

n0nag0n 7:53 AM
Yeah it's checking if the key exists, not if it exists and is not empty

Lucio 7:58 AM
@ikkez cleared. thank you 😉
@blue the thing is load() won't return at first find, it will scan the whole table I think. I'll also try findone().
So you're not in favor of EXISTS keyword? I've read somewhere it's faster...
Thank you the suggestions.
8:00
@n0nag0n Got it!

Blue 8:03 AM
I haven't used it a whole lot but in my mind, EXISTS isn't really appropriate to just find if there is a row that fits a certain criteria
8:04
It's more about joined tables, finding only the customers that have placed an order, that sort of thing

ikkez:rocket: 8:04 AM
to be more clear at this point, I think we could separate the datamapper and active record pattern within the mapper and create a repository / cellection model for find and single exist queries

n0nag0n 8:04 AM
I've been thinking about creating a collection when find() is used.

Blue 8:05 AM
I would love this. I don't like having a class with methods that return more of itself. I find it weird.