Laravel - Working with multiple records, how do I pull the data I need?

WARNING:: LARAVEL SUPER-BEGINNER, BE GENTLE::

In my controller:

public function get_index(){
$lease_rates = DB::table('lease_rates');
$this->layout->nest('content','admin.lease_rates', array('lease_rates' => $lease_rates, ));

In my lease_rates table:

   id   lease_year   class_letter   rate
    1      2012           A          635
    2      2012           B          648
   ...     ....          ...         ...
    5      2012           E          789
    6      2011           A          629

In my lease_rates.blade.php:

<input type="text" 
       name="{{ $lease_rates->rate->find(1) }}" 
       value="{{ $lease_rates->rate->find(1) }}">

<input type="text" 
       name="{{ $lease_rates->rate->find(2) }}" 
       value="{{ $lease_rates->rate->find(2) }}">

Obviously the above doesn't work. The end result that I want:

Sort the array sent to the page by lease_year, descending then by class_letter ascending.
Put the values of the rate for each id into text boxes where the textbox name is the id and the text displayed is the rate for said id.
After that works, I'll need to submit any changes made to the table
After that, I'll work on adding records

Thanks so much! Like I said, I'm new, but eager to learn (and even more eager to get this thing done)

Solution

Did you look at the docs for the Fluent Query Builder (or Eloquent ORM)? http://laravel.com/docs/database/fluent

You could do something like this (not checked, but you should get the idea):

//In your controller
$lease_rates = DB::table('lease_rates')->order_by('lease_year', 'desc')->order_by('class_letter', 'desc')->get();

//In your view
@foreach($lease_rates as $lease_rate)
    <input type="text" name="{{ $lease_rate->id) }}" value="{{ $lease_rate->rate }}">
@endforeach


//Save controller
foreach(Input::all() as $id => $rate){
    DB::table('lease_rates')->where('id', '=', $id)
    ->update(array('rate' => rate));
}

You could also use the Eloquent ORM, to make it even easier.