Phalcon use Phalcon\Tag OR Phalcon\Forms for creating forms

Question

I searched up and down but couldn't find which one is better Phalcon\Tag OR Phalcon\Forms for creating forms.

Both classes have functionality to create form elements. But I found there are some handy tags in the Phalcon\Tag, for example Phalcon\Tag::emailField() or Phalcon\Tag::dateField(array())

Phalcon documentation says:

"Phalcon\Forms is a component that aid the developer in the creation and maintenance of forms in web applications."

"Phalcon\Tag is designed to simplify building of HTML tags. It provides a set of helpers to generate HTML in a dynamic way."

Can anybody help me with the pros and cons of using both the methods.

Thanks

Raj Raj · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-06T04:07:18

In simple meaning Phalcon\Tag are used to design only html (users view). but for validation && adding rules to the form you need to use phalcon\forms i will show you an example of phalcon\forums below

NEW FORM CLASS:

use Phalcon\Forms\Form,
    Phalcon\Forms\Element\Password,
    Phalcon\Forms\Element\Email as Emailfield,
    Phalcon\Forms\Element\Check,
    Phalcon\Forms\Element\Hidden,
    Phalcon\Validation\Validator\PresenceOf,
    Phalcon\Validation\Validator\Identical,
    Phalcon\Validation\Validator\Email;

class LoginForm extends Form
{
    public function initialize()
    {
        $email = new Emailfield('email', array(
            'placeholder' => 'Type your Email'
        ));
        $email->setLabel('E-Mail');
        $email->setFilters('email');
        $email->addValidators(array(
            new PresenceOf(array(
                'message' => 'E-mail is required'
            )),
            new Email(array(
                'message' => 'E-mail is not valid'
            ))
        ));

        $this->add($email);

        $password = new Password('password', array(
            'placeholder' => 'Type your Password'
        ));
        $password->setLabel('Password');
        $password->setFilters(array('striptags', 'string'));
        $password->addValidators(array(
            new PresenceOf(array(
                'message' => 'Password required'
            ))
        ));
        $this->add($password);

        //Remember
        $long_login = new Check('long_login', array(
            'value' => 'yes'
        ));
        $long_login->setLabel('Keep me logged in');
        $this->add($long_login);

        // CSRF
        $csrf = new Hidden('csrf');
        $csrf->addValidator(new Identical(array(
            'value' => $this->security->getSessionToken(),
            'message' => 'CSRF validation failed'
        )));
       // $this->add($csrf);

    }
}

In Controller:

$form = new LoginForm();
if (!empty($_POST)) {
    if (!$form->isValid($_POST)) {
        $errors = array();
        foreach ($form->getMessages() as $message) {
            $errors[] = $message;
        }
        if (!empty($errors))
            $this->flash->error(join('<br/>', $errors));
    } else {
        //Login Continues
    }
}


$this->view->setVar('form', $form);

To convert this form to html below is the code:

    <div class="form-group">
        {{ form.label('email',['class': 'control-label']) }}
        {{ form.render('email', ['class': 'form-control input-md']) }}
    </div>
    <div class="form-group">
        {{ form.label('password',['class': 'control-label']) }}
        {{ form.render('password', ['class': 'form-control input-md']) }}
    </div>
    <div class="checkbox">
        {{ form.render('long_login') }}
        {{ form.label('long_login') }}
    </div>

Phalcon use Phalcon\Tag OR Phalcon\Forms for creating forms

3 Answers