Codeigniter Form Validation - how to unset form values after success?

Question

I realise this request goes against the example provided in the CI documentation (which advises a separate 'success' page view), but I would like to reutilise a given form view after a form has been successfully submitted - displaying a success message then displaying a blank form. I've tried a few ways unsuccessfully to clear the validation set values (unsetting $_POST, setting rules / fields to an empty array and rerunning validation).

I could redirect to the same page, but then I'd have to set a session variable to display a success message - which is a messy approach.

Any ideas how to best achieve the above?

Answer 1

Pass a TRUE/FALSE variable to your views that conditionally sets the values of the form.

The Controller

if($this->form_validation->run())
{
    $data['reset'] = TRUE;
}
else
{
    $data['reset'] = FALSE:
}

$this->load->view("form", $data);

The View:

<input type="text" name="email" value="<?php echo ($reset) ? "" : set_value('email'); ?>" />

<input type="text" name="first_name" value="<?php echo ($reset) ? "" : set_value('first_name'); ?>" />

Answer 2

The set_value function fetches its value from the Form_validation object and not from the $_POST array. The Form_validation object stores its own copy of the posted values in a variable called $_field_data.

Its a hack, but you could clear this variable after handling a successful submission :

class Item extends Controller
{
    function Item()
    {
        parent::Controller();
        $this->load->model('item_model');
    }

    function add()
    {
        $this->load->library('form_validation');
        $this->form_validation->set_rules('name', 'name', 'required');

        $success = false;

        if ($this->form_validation->run())
        {
            $this->item_model->add_item($this->input->post('name'));
            $success = true;

            // Look away now. Hack coming up!
            // Clear the form validation field data
            $this->form_validation->_field_data = array();
        }

        $this->load->view('item/add', array('success' => $success));
    }
}

Answer 3

Redirect to itself. This way, no submissions have been run... This also gives you a way to show the flash_data.

    $this->load->library('form_validation');

    $this->form_validation->set_rules('firstname', 'First Name', 'required');
    $this->form_validation->set_rules('surname', 'Sur Name', 'required');

    if ($this->form_validation->run() === TRUE)
    {
                    // save data

        $this->session->set_flashdata('message', 'New Contact has been added');
        redirect(current_url());
    }

    $this->load->view('contacts/add', $this->data);