Handle page requests in laravel controller

base.php

  /**
   *
   * 1. Check if it's an ajax request
   * 2. Set up Page Data (title, activenav etc)
   * 3. add any addtional data to be passed to the View.
   * @param $route
   * @return mixed
   *
   *
   */
  public function servePage($route, $extraViewData = null)
  {

    if (\Laravel\Request::ajax())
      $this->layout = 'layouts.ajax';
    else
      $this->layout = 'layouts.main';

    /**
     * Helper to set the Page title and ACTIVE nav element
     */
    $viewData = $this->setPageData($route);

    /**
     *
     * Handle any extra data that needs to be passed to the view.
     * If it's an Array, just merge it.
     * If it's an object, make it accessible via it's class name.
     */
    if (null !== $extraViewData){
      if (is_array($extraViewData)){
        $viewData = array_merge($extraViewData, $viewData);
      }
      if (is_object($extraViewData)){
        $className = strtolower(get_class($extraViewData));
        $viewData[$className] = $extraViewData;
      }

    }


    return View::make($this->layout, $viewData)->nest('content', 'home.' . $route, $viewData);
  }