Difficulty storing nested date fields like ISODate in MongoDB using Laravel

[ednermoya]

Description of the Problem:
I am using the laravel-mongodb package for integrating MongoDB with my Laravel 10 application. I have encountered a challenge when trying to store dates in nested arrays as ISODate objects in MongoDB. While top-level date fields are correctly stored as ISODate, nested fields within arrays are being stored as objects or strings, not as ISODate.

Expected Behavior:
When storing dates using Carbon instances in nested arrays (e.g., sensores.valoresSensor.data), I expect these to be stored as ISODate in MongoDB, similar to how top-level date fields are stored.

Actual Behavior:
Dates in nested fields are stored as objects or strings, not as ISODate. This inconsistency happens despite using Carbon instances for both top-level and nested date fields.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Define a model with a nested structure in Laravel using laravel-mongodb.
2. Attempt to insert or update a document with a nested date field using a Carbon instance converted to UTC.

Model:

<?php

namespace App\Models\mongodb;

use MongoDB\Laravel\Eloquent\Model;

class ValoresSensoresColetados extends Model
{
    protected $connection = 'mongodb';
    protected $collection = 'ValoresSensoresColetados';

    protected $fillable = [
        'maquinaId',
        'empresaId',
        'diaCriacao',
        'sensores',
        'sensores.sensorId',
        'sensores.valoresSensor',
        'sensores.valoresSensor.coletorId',
        'sensores.valoresSensor.data',
        'sensores.valoresSensor.dataString',
        'sensores.valoresSensor.valor',
        'sensores.valoresSensor.valorOriginal',
        'sensores.valoresSensor.tipoSensor',
        'sensores.valorTotal',
        '__v',
        'utilizado',
        'shard',
    ];

    protected $casts = [
        'coletorId' => 'ObjectId',
        'diaCriacao' => 'datetime',
        'sensores.valoresSensor.data' => 'datetime',
        'created_at' => 'datetime',
        'updated_at' => 'datetime',
    ];

    protected $attributes = [
        'maquinaId' => null,
        'empresaId' => null,
        'diaCriacao' => null,
        'sensores' => [
            'sensorId' => null,
            'valoresSensor' => [
                'coletorId' => null,
                'data' => null,
                'dataString' => null,
                'valor' => null,
                'valorOriginal' => null,
                'tipoSensor' => null,
            ],
            'valorTotal' => null,
        ],
        '__v' => 0,
        'utilizado' => 0,
        'shard' => null,
    ];
}

Function:

    private static function updateMongoDB($documento, $sensorRecebido, $informacoesSensorEDispositivo)
    {
        $dateTime = Carbon::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', $sensorRecebido->dataColeta, 'America/Sao_Paulo')
                                ->setTimezone('UTC');

        //Esta inserção é realizada diretamente no MongoDB
        $getUpdateDocumento = MongodbValoresSensoresColetados::Where("_id", $documento->_id)
                                                        ->Where('sensores.sensorId', $sensorRecebido->sensores_id)
                                                        ->update([
                                                            '$set' => [
                                                                'utilizado' => 1,
                                                            ],
                                                            '$addToSet' => [
                                                                'sensores.$.valoresSensor' => [
                                                                    '$each' => [[
                                                                        'coletorId' => $sensorRecebido->coletor_id,
                                                                        'data' => $dateTime->toIso8601String(),
                                                                        'dataString' => strval($sensorRecebido->dataColeta),
                                                                        'valor' => 0,
                                                                        'valorOriginal' => strval($sensorRecebido->valor),
                                                                        'tipoSensor' => $sensorRecebido->sensoresTipo,
                                                                    ]]
                                                                ]
                                                            ]
                                                        ]);
        
        return $getUpdateDocumento;
    }
}

Right now I'm using a conversation:

'data' => $dateTime->toIso8601String(),

to be able to save the date and time as a string, but I need it to be saved as a date.

My document with toIso8601String():

{
  "_id": {
    "$oid": "660ac07428eea70fe40daa42"
  },
  "maquinaId": "1",
  "empresaId": "2",
  "diaCriacao": {
    "$date": "2024-03-20T00:00:00.000Z"
  },
  "sensores": [
    {
      "sensorId": "1",
      "valoresSensor": [
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb25c14fc7d71e48cc89af",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:06:57+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:06:57",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "261",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb25fd4fc7d71e48cc89b3",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:07:57+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:07:57",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "252",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb26394fc7d71e48cc89b7",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:08:57+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:08:57",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "272",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb26764fc7d71e48cc89bb",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:09:58+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:09:58",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "274",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb26b34fc7d71e48cc89bf",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:10:59+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:10:59",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "262",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb26ef4fc7d71e48cc89c3",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:11:59+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:11:59",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "256",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb272c4fc7d71e48cc89c7",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:13:00+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:13:00",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "258",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb27684fc7d71e48cc89cb",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:14:00+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:14:00",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "270",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb27a54fc7d71e48cc89cf",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:15:01+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:15:01",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "259",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        }
      ],
      "valorTotal": 0
    },
    {
      "sensorId": "2",
      "valoresSensor": [
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb25844fc7d71e48cc89ac",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:05:56+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:05:56",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb25c14fc7d71e48cc89b0",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:06:57+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:06:57",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb25fd4fc7d71e48cc89b4",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:07:57+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:07:57",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb26394fc7d71e48cc89b8",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:08:57+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:08:57",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb26764fc7d71e48cc89bc",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:09:58+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:09:58",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb26b34fc7d71e48cc89c0",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:10:59+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:10:59",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb26ef4fc7d71e48cc89c4",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:11:59+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:11:59",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb272c4fc7d71e48cc89c8",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:13:00+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:13:00",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb27684fc7d71e48cc89cc",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:14:00+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:14:00",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb27a54fc7d71e48cc89d0",
          "data": "2024-03-20T18:15:01+00:00",
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:15:01",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        }
      ],
      "valorTotal": 0
    },
    {
      "sensorId": "3",
      "valoresSensor": [],
      "valorTotal": 0
    },
    {
      "sensorId": "4",
      "valoresSensor": [],
      "valorTotal": 0
    }
  ],
  "__v": 0,
  "utilizado": 1,
  "shard": "4",
  "updated_at": {
    "$date": "2024-04-01T14:11:01.520Z"
  },
  "created_at": {
    "$date": "2024-04-01T14:11:00.537Z"
  }
}

My document only carbon function:

{
  "_id": {
    "$oid": "660ac3e9bfa555f61d0143d2"
  },
  "maquinaId": "1",
  "empresaId": "2",
  "diaCriacao": {
    "$date": "2024-03-20T00:00:00.000Z"
  },
  "sensores": [
    {
      "sensorId": "1",
      "valoresSensor": [
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb27e14fc7d71e48cc89d3",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:16:01",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "263",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb281d4fc7d71e48cc89d7",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:17:01",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "256",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb285a4fc7d71e48cc89db",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:18:02",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "281",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb28964fc7d71e48cc89df",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:19:02",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "258",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb28d34fc7d71e48cc89e3",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:20:03",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "250.99999999999997",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb290f4fc7d71e48cc89e7",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:21:03",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "254",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb294c4fc7d71e48cc89eb",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:22:04",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "254.99999999999997",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb29884fc7d71e48cc89ef",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:23:04",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "256",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        }
      ],
      "valorTotal": 0
    },
    {
      "sensorId": "2",
      "valoresSensor": [
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb27e14fc7d71e48cc89d4",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:16:01",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb281d4fc7d71e48cc89d8",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:17:01",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb285a4fc7d71e48cc89dc",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:18:02",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb28964fc7d71e48cc89e0",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:19:02",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb28d34fc7d71e48cc89e4",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:20:03",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb290f4fc7d71e48cc89e8",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:21:03",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb294c4fc7d71e48cc89ec",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:22:04",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        },
        {
          "coletorId": "65fb29884fc7d71e48cc89f0",
          "data": {},
          "dataString": "2024-03-20 15:23:04",
          "valor": 0,
          "valorOriginal": "0",
          "tipoSensor": "analog"
        }
      ],
      "valorTotal": 0
    },
    {
      "sensorId": "3",
      "valoresSensor": [],
      "valorTotal": 0
    },
    {
      "sensorId": "4",
      "valoresSensor": [],
      "valorTotal": 0
    }
  ],
  "__v": 0,
  "utilizado": 1,
  "shard": "4",
  "updated_at": {
    "$date": "2024-04-01T14:25:45.584Z"
  },
  "created_at": {
    "$date": "2024-04-01T14:25:45.100Z"
  }
}

For fields:

diaCriacao, updated_at and created_at

the datetime field is set successfully, however for the date inside the array I can't make it work.

In the model, the casts, I have already tried several ways and none of them worked. I've already tried:

'date' => 'datetime'
'sensors.valoresSensor.data' => 'datetime'
'sensors.$.valoresSensor.$.data' => 'datetime'

and none of them worked.

Has anyone gone through this? Is there any solution I can apply? I appreciate everyone's attention and help.

[ednermoya]

I solved the problem as follows:

//Esta inserção é realizada diretamente no MongoDB
        $getUpdateDocumento = MongodbValoresSensoresColetados::Where("_id", $documento->_id)
                                                        ->Where('sensores.sensorId', $sensorRecebido->sensores_id)
                                                        ->update([
                                                            '$set' => [
                                                                'utilizado' => 1,
                                                            ],
                                                            '$addToSet' => [
                                                                'sensores.$.valoresSensor' => [
                                                                    '$each' => [[
                                                                        //'_id' => $stringId = (string) (new ObjectId()),
                                                                        'coletorId' => $sensorRecebido->coletor_id,
                                                                        'data' => new \MongoDB\BSON\UTCDateTime($dateTime->getTimestamp() * 1000),//->toIso8601String(),
                                                                        'dataString' => strval($sensorRecebido->dataColeta),
                                                                        'valor' => 0,
                                                                        'valorOriginal' => strval($sensorRecebido->valor),
                                                                        'tipoSensor' => $sensorRecebido->sensoresTipo,
                                                                    ]]
                                                                ]
                                                            ]
                                                        ]);

I keep getting an error on the line

new \MongoDB\BSON\UTCDateTime

and I don't know if this is the correct way to deal with this problem, however it worked for me.

If anyone has a more elegant solution, or one that is actually correct, please let me know.
Hug to everyone