PHP-Wax Model Validation

Validating Data

Before a model is saved to the database a method called validations() will automatically be run. This can generally be used as a hook to add validation information to the model class. There are a number of built in validations, but since the method is overloaded you can perform any validations that you want.

You can also add your own error messages with the add_error($field, $message) method. The built in validations are as follows:

 valid_format($field, $format, $message="is an invalid format",
      $optional=true)
 valid_required($field, $message="is a required field")
 valid_length($field, $min, $max=0, 
      $message_short="must be at least", 
      $message_long="must be less than")
 valid_unique($field, $message="is already taken")

When using the valid_format method, the second value is a regular expression. There are however some built in regular expressions which will take care of most standard format validations. Instead of supplying a regular expression, if you pass in any of the following:

 valid_format('email', 'email')
 valid_format('postcode', 'uk_postcode')
 valid_format('zipcode', 'usa_zipcode')
 valid_format('date', 'usa_date')
 valid_format('date', 'uk_date')
 valid_format('number', 'number')

More values will also be added to these fixed validations as required.

How to specify this in your model file

Below is an example of a model file with some validations specified.

 <?php
 class Article extends WXActiveRecord
 {
   public function validations() {
     $this->valid_required('name');
     $this->valid_required('email');
     $this->valid_format('email', 'email');
     $this->valid_unique('email');
   }
 }
 ?>

Of course more advanced validations can be done by writing your own methods.