1.8Documentation

Configuration

Optionally, the validation class can be configured through the global application configuration file, app/config/config.php. Define a section called 'validation', in which the following settings can be defined:

''

'<ul>'

'</ul>'

'<li>'

'</li>'

false

true

If one or more of these values are missing from the global configuration, the class will use the defaults as defined in this table.

Usage

To start validation you need to create an object, this can be the default object named "default" or you can name it if you need multiple validation objects.

// Use default
$val = Validation::forge();

// ... or name it
$val = Validation::forge('my_validation');

After having it instantiated you can start adding fields to it. This works exactly like the when using the Fieldset class, however here we'll only document the preferred usage.

$val = Validation::forge('my_validation');

// Add a field for username, give it the label "Your username" and make it required
$val->add('username', 'Your username')->add_rule('required');

// Now add another field for password, and require it to contain at least 3 and at most 10 characters
$val->add('password', 'Your password')->add_rule('required')
    ->add_rule('min_length', 3)
    ->add_rule('max_length', 10);

// Now add another field for gender, and require it to contain either "M" or "F".
$val->add('gender', 'Your gender')->add_rule('required')
    ->add_rule('match_collection', array('M', 'F'));

The first parameter of the add_rule() method can contain PHP native function names, any valid PHP callback and Closures in addition to the provided validation methods. The method will get the value to be validated as its first argument and any further arguments can be given to the add_rule() method.

We also provide a shorter syntax which is very limited in comparison. It will not accept array-callbacks, closures or parameters other than strings. You can also not use the pipe symbol in your pattern when you use the 'match_pattern' rule, as that is used to separate the defined rules.

// The same fields as the example above
$val = Validation::forge('my_validation');
$val->add_field('username', 'Your username', 'required');
$val->add_field('password', 'Your password', 'required|min_length[3]|max_length[10]');
$val->add_field('gender', 'Your gender', 'required|match_collection[M,F]');

Once all the fields have been added you can run your validation. This will default to $_POST input, but can be extended and overwritten when given an input array.

// run validation on just post
if ($val->run())
{
    // process your stuff when validation succeeds
}
else
{
    // validation failed
}

// alternative to above, overwriting the username in post, password will still be sought in post
if ($val->run(array('username' => 'something')))

When validation is ran there are three methods available for information about the input:

// get an array of successfully validated fields => value pairs
$vars = $val->validated();
// get an array of validation errors as field => error pairs
$errors = $val->error();
// get an array of the input that was validated, this merged the post & input given to run()
$input = $val->input();

// all these methods can also get just the value for a single field
$var = $val->validated('username');

Validation can also run partially, in that case even required fields are ignored when they're not in POST or the input given to run(). One does this by setting the 2nd parameter of run to true.

// this will only validate the password when username isn't present in post
$val->run(array('password' => 'whatever'), true);

Validation rules

Note that all methods (even min_length) will also return true on empty input. To also require the field you must add the rule "required" as well.

All these rules can be used like below:

// example normal usage with rule without and one with params
$val->add('email', 'Email address')->add_rule('match_value', 'me@mydomain.com', true)->add_rule('valid_email');
$val->add_field('email', 'Email address', 'match_value[me@mydomain.com,1]|valid_email');

Rules table

Valid string rule

Validates whether a string adheres to the conditions set by the $flags parameter. The accepted flags are:

Extending the Validation class

There are few approaches to extend the validation class:

1. To extend the core class like described in the Extending Core Classes

2. To create a class in app/classes/myrules.php (for example)

// app/classes/myrules.php
class MyRules
{
    // note this is a static method
    public static function _validation_unique($val, $options)
    {
        list($table, $field) = explode('.', $options);

        $result = DB::select(DB::expr("LOWER (\"$field\")"))
        ->where($field, '=', Str::lower($val))
        ->from($table)->execute();

        return ! ($result->count() > 0);
    }

    // note this is a non-static method
    public function _validation_is_upper($val)
    {
        return $val === strtoupper($val);
    }

}

// and call it like:
$val = Validation::forge();

// Note the difference between static and non-static validation rules:

// Add it staticly, will only be able to use static methods
$val->add_callable('MyRules');

// Adds it non-static, will be able to use both static and non-static methods
$val->add_callable(new MyRules());

$val->add('username', 'Your username', array(), array('trim', 'strip_tags', 'required', 'is_upper'))
    ->add_rule('unique', 'users.username');

3. Calling callbacks from a model. It works like a method described above, but we only need to call it in other way:

$val = Validation::forge();
$val->add_model('Model_User');

Note: You need the '_validation_' prefix for a method to be available in validation.

Note: if you pass the class name as a string, the validation method must be defined as static. If the method is not static, you will have to pass an object instance as callable().

It can be useful to use Validation::active() and Validation::active_field() to get the currently active validation instance and field currently being validated, respectively.

For example, in the above you could do:

public static function _validation_unique($val, $options)
{
    Validation::active()->set_message('unique', 'The field :label must be unique, but :value has already been used');
...
}