explicitly set “required” in div class using custom FormHelper (cakephp 1.3)

Question

I am using cakephp 1.3, and want to set form inputs as "required" explicitly instead of relying on model validation. A form input example:

<div class="input text required">
  <label for="ClaimClaimantFirstName">First Name</label>
  <input name="data[ClaimClaimant][first_name]" type="text" id="ClaimClaimantFirstName" /> 
</div>

I also want to maintain the FormHelper naming instead of using custom form helper names. Example:

$this->Form->input(...)

The solution I came up with is

implement MyFormHelper, extending from FormHelper and overriding the input method. Specifically, around line 804 of the FormHelper, replacing

if (
  isset($this->fieldset[$modelKey]) 
  && in_array($fieldKey, $this->fieldset[$modelKey]['validates'])
) {
  $divOptions = $this->addClass($divOptions, 'required');
}

with

if (isset($options['required'])) {
  if ($options['required'] === true) {
    $divOptions = $this->addClass($divOptions, 'required');
  } elseif ($options['required'] === false) {
    // do not add class 'required'
  }
} elseif (
  isset($this->fieldset[$modelKey]) 
  && in_array($fieldKey, $this->fieldset[$modelKey]['validates'])
) {
  $divOptions = $this->addClass($divOptions, 'required');
}

This ensures the presence of $options['required'] takes precedence before we rely on the model validation.

use Joe Beeson's analogue plugin, to alias MyForm to Form:

public $helpers = array(
  'Analogue.Analogue' => array(
    array(
      'helper' => 'MyForm',
      'rename' => 'Form'
) ) )

then, specifying the form input as required looks like:

$this->Form->Input(
  'SomeModel.SomeField',
  array('required' => true)
)

Is there some other better approach than this, or potential issues with this solution?

for a better solution try $this->Form->input('foo', array('div'=>array('class'=>'required'))); but really why go to this trouble when it's in cake out of the box? What are you trying to achieve. — Ross
@Ross using 'div' => array('class' => 'required') does not keep the other classes such as 'text' and 'input' — EricC
@ColbyGuyer I want to have an explicit way to specify whether a form input is required or not (expressed as class required in div). The explicit way overrides the model validation way of determining if an input is required. — EricC
it sounds like you just want a way for the field to stand out as required. Why not apply your own css. do the 'class'=>'requiredclass' or even an 'after'=>'*' to denote required. — Colby Guyer

webkraller webkraller · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-31T21:09:01

The original question specifies 1.3, but here is an update for those looking for a way in 2.0

For Cake 2.0 or greater you can specify the 'required'=>true keypair value in your input options array to enable html5 browser validation on the element.

http://book.cakephp.org/2.0/en/core-libraries/helpers/form.html#creating-form-elements

explicitly set “required” in div class using custom FormHelper (cakephp 1.3)

1 Answers