Validation and Callbacks

[eluser]RS71[/eluser]
Hello

I am currently building a form and I would like to how I can validate information from dropdowns (and checkboxes and radios). I was thinking of maybe having it check that the value is in a array (the same array I use to populate the dropdowns/checkboxes/radios etc).

How can I have a rule that checks whether the value is present in the array (the available options)? Can I pass an array or something to a rule?

Also,

Is there a better way to validate such information?
I set a bunch of variables and arrays in the beginning of my controller which will be used by form helpers in the view later on. Should I move this out of the controller if I'll be using it more? If so, how would I do this?

Thanks in advance for you help.

RS71

[eluser]Michael Wales[/eluser]

Code:

function index() {
  $this->form_validation->set_rules('dropdown', 'My Dropdown', 'callback__dropdown_check');
}

function _dropdown_check($val) {
  $valid = array('Sunday', 'Monday', 'Tuesday', 'Wednesday', 'Thursday', 'Friday', 'Saturday');
  if (in_array($val, $valid)) {
    return TRUE;
  }
  $this->form_validation->set_error_message('_dropdown_check', 'You must select a valid entry in the %s field.');
  return FALSE;
}

[eluser]RS71[/eluser]
Thank you for your reply Michael.

I do have one question though. Is there a way to remove the array from within the rule and just pass it through the set_rules()? So that I may only need to have one rule (called 'in_options' for example) and pass a different options array on every new field?

[eluser]Michael Wales[/eluser]
No - the callback is automatically called by the framework and is only passed one parameter (the value of the field). You could go and extend the form_validation library, but I think that is way to much work in this particular case.

I would just make it a class variable.

Code:

class Posts extends Controller {

  var $_valid_dropdown_values = array('Sunday', 'Monday', 'Tuesday', 'Wednesday', 'Thursday', 'Friday', 'Saturday');

  function Posts() {
    parent::Controller();
  }

  function index() {
    $this->form_validation->set_rules('dropdown', 'My Dropdown', 'callback__dropdown_check');
  }

  function _dropdown_check($val) {
    if (in_array($val, $this->_valid_dropdown_values)) {
      return TRUE;
    }
    $this->form_validation->set_error_message('_dropdown_check', 'You must select a valid entry in the %s field.');
    return FALSE;
  }
}

[eluser]phazei[/eluser]
So you don't need to have a separate dropdown_check function for every dropdown, you can do this:

Code:

class Posts extends Controller {

  var $_valid_dropdown_values = array()
  
  $_valid_dropdown_values['weeks'] = array('Sunday', 'Monday', 'Tuesday', 'Wednesday', 'Thursday', 'Friday', 'Saturday');
  $_valid_dropdown_values['months'] = array('Jan','Feb','Mar','Apr');

  function Posts() {
    parent::Controller();
  }

  function index() {
    $this->form_validation->set_rules('dropdown', 'My Dropdown', 'callback__dropdown_check[weeks]');
  }

  function _dropdown_check($val, $list_name) {
    if (in_array($val, $this->_valid_dropdown_values[$list_name])) {
      return TRUE;
    }
    $this->form_validation->set_error_message('_dropdown_check', 'You must select a valid entry in the %s field.');
    return FALSE;
  }
}

[eluser]123wesweat[/eluser]
about the _call_back function

What you i do if the dropdown values come from a db table???

Should i make a db-call in the controller or move the _call_back function to the model??

And i have

Code:

<input type="checkbox" name="colors[]" value="red"/>

How do i make a call_back function on an array??
This seems to work on an array

Code:

function _dropdown_check($valArray)
if(isset($valArray)){
          foreach($valArray as $val){
              if (in_array($val, $valid)) {
                return TRUE;
              }
          }
          }//.end isset
etc.