Set validators in form ZendFramework2

Question

I'm trying to write my first form in ZF2 and my code is

                namespace Frontend\Forms;
            use Zend\Form\Form;
            use Zend\Validator;

            class Pagecontent extends Form
            {
                public function __construct($name = null)
                {
                    // we want to ignore the name passed
                    parent::__construct('logo');
                    $this->setAttribute('method', 'post');      
                    $this->add(array(
                        'name' => 'content_yes_no',
                        'type'=>'text',
                        'required' => true,
                        'validators' => array(
                                'name' => 'Alnum',
                                'options'=>array(
                                    'allowWhiteSpace'=>true,
                                ),
                        ),
                    ));
                }
            }

I want to know can I set validators like this? Please advice

Answer 1

To setup filters and validators you need an inputFilter. Typically you will find the inputFilter defined in the form class or associated model class. Here is a template for a form.

<?php
/* All bracket enclosed items are to be replaced with information from your 
 * implementation. 
 */
namespace {Module}\Form;

class {Entity}Form
{
    public function __construct()
    {
        // Name the form
        parent::__construct('{entity}_form');

        // Typically there is an id field on the form
        $this->add(array(
            'name' => 'id',
            'type' => 'Hidden',
        ));

        // Add a csrf field to help with security
        $this->add(array(
            'type' => 'Zend\Form\Element\Csrf',
            'name' => 'csrf'
        ));

        // Add more form fields here
        $this->add(array(
            'name' => 'example',
            'type' => 'Text',
            'options' => array(
                'label' => 'Example',
            ),
        ));

        //Of course we need a submit button
        $this->add(array(
            'name' => 'submit',
            'type' => 'Submit',
            'attributes' => array(
                'value' => 'Submit',
                'id' => 'submitbutton',
            ),
        ));
    }
}

The form defines all of the elements that will be displayed in the form. Now, you can either create the inputFilter in the form's class or in a model that is associated with the form's class. Either way it would look like:

<?php
/* All bracket enclosed items are to be replaced with information from your 
 * implementation. 
 */
namespace {Module}\Model;

/*
 * Include these if you require input filtering. 
 */
use Zend\InputFilter\Factory as InputFactory;   
use Zend\InputFilter\InputFilter;                
use Zend\InputFilter\InputFilterAwareInterface;  
use Zend\InputFilter\InputFilterInterface;   

class {Model} implements InputFilterAwareInterface 
{
    /*
     * Add in model members as necessary
    */
    public $id;
    public $example;

    /*
     * Declare an inputFilter
     */
    private $inputFilter;

    /*
     * You don't need a set function but the InputFilterAwareInterface makes
     * you declare one
     */
    public function setInputFilter(InputFilterInterface $inputFilter)
    {
        throw new \Exception("Not used");
    }

    /*
     * Put all of your form's fields' filters and validators in here
     */
    public function getInputFilter()
    {
        if (!$this->inputFilter) 
        {
            $inputFilter = new InputFilter();
            $factory     = new InputFactory();

            $inputFilter->add($factory->createInput(array(
                'name'     => 'id',
                'required' => true,
                'filters'  => array(
                    array('name' => 'Int'),
                ),
            )));

            // This example input cannot have html tags in it, is trimmed, and 
            // must be 1-32 characters long
            $inputFilter->add($factory->createInput(array(
                'name'     => 'example',
                'required' => false,
                'filters'  => array(
                    array('name' => 'StripTags'),
                    array('name' => 'StringTrim'),
                ),
                'validators' => array(
                    array(
                        'name'    => 'StringLength',
                        'options' => array(
                            'encoding' => 'UTF-8',
                            'min'      => 1,
                            'max'      => 32,
                        ),
                    ),
                ),
            )));

            $this->inputFilter = $inputFilter;
        }

        return $this->inputFilter;
    }
}

Then when you are programming your controller's action you can bring it all together like this:

if($request->isPost())
{
    $model = new Model;
    $form->setInputFilter($model->getInputFilter());
    $form->setData($request->getPost());

    if ($form->isValid()) 
    {
        // Do some database stuff
    }
}

Notice that we get the inputFilter from the model and use the form's setInputFilter() method to attach it.

To summarize, You must create a form class to place all of your form elements in, then create an inputFilter to hold all of your filters and validators. Then you can grab the inputFilter in the controller and apply it to the form. Of course this is just a couple ways to skin a cat though.

Answer 2

You can use Input Filter component:

<?php
namespace Frontend\Forms;

use Zend\Form\Form;
use Zend\Validator;
use Zend\InputFilter\Factory as InputFactory;
use Zend\InputFilter\InputFilter;

class Pagecontent extends Form
{

    public function __construct($name = null)
    {
        ...
        $inputFilter = new InputFilter();
        $factory     = new InputFactory();
        $inputFilter->add($factory->createInput(array(
            'name'     => 'content_yes_no',
            'required' => true,
            'filters'  => array(),
            'validators' => array(
                array(
                    'name' => 'Alnum',
                    'options' => array(
                        'allowWhiteSpace' => true,
                    ),
                ),
            ),
        )));

        $this->setInputFilter($inputFilter);
    }
}

// your controller

$form = new \Frontend\Forms\Pagecontent();
$form->setData($request->getPost());

if ($form->isValid()) {
    // your code
}

Answer 3

You've got to surround validators by another array:

'validators' => array(
        array(
                        'name' => 'Alnum',
                        'options' => array(
                                'allowWhiteSpace'=>true,
                        ),
        ),
),