Zend_Form -> Nicely change setRequired() validate message

Question

Say I create a text element like this:

$firstName = new Zend_Form_Element_Text('firstName');
$firstName->setRequired(true);

Whats the best way to change the default error message from:

Value is empty, but a non-empty value is required

to a custom message? I read somewhere that to replace the message, just use addValidator(..., instead (NO setRequired), like this:

$firstName = new Zend_Form_Element_Text('firstName');
$firstName->addValidator('NotEmpty', false, array('messages'=>'Cannot be empty'));

but in my testing, this doesn't work - it doesn't validate at all - it will pass with an empty text field. Using both (addValidator('NotEmp.. + setRequired(true)) at the same time doesn't work either - it double validates, giving two error messages.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Give this a shot:

$firstName = new Zend_Form_Element_Text('firstName');
$firstName->setLabel('First Name')
       ->setRequired(true)
       ->addValidator('NotEmpty', true)
       ->addErrorMessage('Value is empty, but a non-empty value is required.');

The key is that "true" on the validator if you set that to true, it'll kill the other validations after it. If you add more than one validation method, but set that to false, it will validate all methods.

Answer 2

One small issue. This code:

$zipCode->setLabel('Postal Code')
     ->addValidator('StringLength', true, array( 5, 5 ) )
     ->addErrorMessage('More than 5')
     ->addValidator('Digits', true)
     ->addErrorMessage('Not a digit');

Will generate both error messages if either validation fails. Isn't is supposed to stop after the first fails?

Answer 3

Try

->addValidator('Digits', false);

or

->addValidator('Digits');

You assume that to check Digits it has to have a string length anyway.

Also, I like to do some custom error messages like this:

$firstName->getValidator('NotEmpty')->setMessage('Please enter your first name');

This allows you to "get" the validator and then "set" properties of it.

Answer 4

But try this:

$firstName->setRequired(true)
          ->addValidator('NotEmpty', false, array('messages' => 'bar'))
          ->addValidator('Alpha', false, array('messages'=>'Must contain only letters'));

If left empty and submitted, itll give two messages bar & '' is an empty string. Its that second message thats coming from setRequired(true) thats the problem

Answer 5

An easier way to set this "site-wide" would be to possibly do the following in a bootstrap or maybe a base zend_controller:

<?php    
$translateValidators = array(
            Zend_Validate_NotEmpty::IS_EMPTY => 'Value must be entered',
            Zend_Validate_Regex::NOT_MATCH => 'Invalid value entered',
            Zend_Validate_StringLength::TOO_SHORT => 'Value cannot be less than %min% characters',
            Zend_Validate_StringLength::TOO_LONG => 'Value cannot be longer than %max% characters',
            Zend_Validate_EmailAddress::INVALID => 'Invalid e-mail address'
           );
    $translator = new Zend_Translate('array', $translateValidators);
    Zend_Validate_Abstract::setDefaultTranslator($translator);
?>

Answer 6

$subjectElement->setRequired(true)->addErrorMessage('Please enter a subject for your message');

This works form me.

Answer 7

Try this..

$ausPostcode = new Zend_Form_Element_Text('aus_postcode'); $ausPostcode->setLabel('Australian Postcode')
->setRequired(true)
->addValidator('StringLength', false, array(4, 4))
->addValidator(new Zend_Validate_Digits(), false)
->getValidator('digits')->setMessage('Postcode can only contain digits');

This sets the custom error message only for the Digits validator.

Cheers JP.

Answer 8

if you put:

$element->setRequired(false);

the validations don't work at all, you have to define:

$element->setAllowEmpty(false);

in order to get the correct behavior of the validations.