catch VIES exception in validation rule as that service is down an awful lot lately

Author: dannyvankooten

src/VatServiceProvider.php

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 use Illuminate\Support\ServiceProvider;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Validator as RequestValidator;
 
+use DvK\Laravel\Vat\Vies\ViesException;
 use DvK\Laravel\Vat\Facades\Validator as ValidatorFacade;
 
 
@@ -18,8 +19,22 @@ class VatServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider
      */
     public function boot()
     {
+
+        /**
+         * Register the "vat_number" validation rule.
+         *
+         * When the VIES VAT validation fails, this will just look at the number format.
+         * This can result in invalid VAT numbers being marked as true.
+         * With the VIES VAT number API being down an awful lot lately, we feel it is more important to get the purchase through.
+         */
         RequestValidator::extend('vat_number', function($attribute, $value, $parameters, $validator ) {
-            return ValidatorFacade::validate( $value );
+            try {
+                $valid = ValidatorFacade::validate( $value );
+            }  catch( ViesException $e ) {
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            return $valid;
         });
     }