public function getEdit($id = null) { $book = \Foobooks\Book::find($id); $authors = \Foobooks\Author::orderby('last_name', 'ASC')->get(); dump($authors); $authors_for_dropdown = []; foreach ($authors as $author) { $authors_for_dropdown[$author->id] = $author->last_name . ', ' . $author->first_name; } dump($authors_for_dropdown); //if we don't find the book if (is_null($book)) { \Session::flash('flash_message', 'Book not found.'); return redirect('\\books'); } //return view('books.edit')->with(['book'=>$book, 'authors_for_dropdown'=>$authors_for_dropdown]); return view('books.edit')->with(['book' => $book, 'authors_for_dropdown' => $authors_for_dropdown]); }