Laravel 4 HTML macro to generate link within a list from a string or route, including active status if current url

NavLinkMacro.php

<?php

HTML::macro('navLink', function ($route, $text, $listAttributes = [], $linkAttributes = [], $params = null, $secure = null)
{
    # Set default attributes
    $listDefaults = ['class' => ''];
    $linkDefaults = ['class' => ''];

    // Merge default attributes with those supplied
    $listAttributes = $listDefaults + ($listAttributes == null ? [] : $listAttributes);
    $linkAttributes = $linkDefaults + ($linkAttributes == null ? [] : $linkAttributes);

    // check if supplied route is a named route or text url
    if (Route::getRoutes()->hasNamedRoute($route))
    {
        // create the href value
        $href = route($route, $params);

        // set whether the supplied route is the current url
        $is_active = ($route == Route::currentRouteName());
    } else
    {
        // check if an external domain is supplied
        if( ! preg_match('/([a-z0-9\-]+)\.([a-z]+|[a-z]{2}\.[a-z]+)$/im', $route))
        {
            // create the href value
            $href = url($route);
        } else
        {
            $href = $route;
        }


        // check whether the supplied url is the current on or a child of
        $is_active = Request::is($route . '*');
    }

    # Append active class if wanted
    if ($is_active)
    {
        $listAttributes['class'] .= ' active';
        $linkAttributes['class'] .= ' active';
    }

    return '<li ' . HTML::attributes($listAttributes) . '>' . link_to($href, $text, $linkAttributes, $secure) . '</li>';

});