how to validate multiple entries for same field in cakephp

Question

Does any body can know how to validate multiple entries for same field. I need to validate and save the data to DB table. I tried with validation rule method that we normally use to validate data, but validation function returns 1 i.e. True instead of error. Also I enclosed validation rules in an extra array steal it is not working.

Please guide me to validate the data for multiple entries.

Controller code

$this->MyModel->set($this->request->data);
if($this->MyModel->validates()){
   //Some code 
}else{
   pr($this->MyModel->validationErrors);
}

output of submitted form :

Array
(
    [MyModel] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [qualification_id] => 
                    [stream] => 
                    [pass_year] => 
                    [description] => 
                    [resume_id] => 1
                )
            [1] => Array
                (
                    [qualification_id] => 
                    [stream] => 
                    [pass_year] => 
                    [description] => 
                    [resume_id] => 1
                )

        )

)

MyModel validation rules:

public $validate = array(
        array(
            'resume_id' => array(
            'notEmpty'=>array(
                'rule' => 'notEmpty',
                'message' => 'Invalid resume reference.'
            ),
            'numeric' => array(
                'rule' => 'numeric',
                'message' => 'Invalid resume reference.'
            )
        ),
        'qualification_id' => array(
            'notEmpty'=>array(
                'rule' => 'notEmpty',
                'message' => 'Please enter qualification.'
            ),
            'numeric' => array(
                'rule' => 'numeric',
                'message' => 'Invalide qualification selected'
            )
        )
        )
    );

Thanks,

Parag C.

Answer 1

Model::validates() can only handle a single record, that has previously been set with Model::set().

If you wish to validate multiple records, you have to use Model::validateMany().

It could be implemented as:

$data = $this->request->data; //to prevent $this->request->data from being altered.
if($validationErrors=$this->MyModel->validateMany($data)){
    //Some code 
}else{
    pr($validationErrors);
}

See Model::validateMany() in the CakePHP 2.x API.

Answer 2

I Found the solution as Inigo Flores said Model::validateMany() is help full, but in my case Model::validateMany() is not working. So I have overridden the method in my model

Model code:

public function validateMany(&$data, $options = array()) {
        $validationErrors = array();
        foreach ($data[$this->alias] as $key => $values) {
            $this->set($values);
            if (!$this->validates($values)) {                
                $validationErrors[$this->alias][$key] = $this->validationErrors;                
                foreach ($this->validationErrors as $field => $msg) {
                    $validationErrors[$this->alias][$key][$field]['message'] = $msg[0];
                }
            }
        }
        if (!empty($validationErrors)) {
            unset($this->validationErrors);
            $this->validationErrors = $validationErrors;
            return false;
        } else {
            return true;
        }
    }

I used cakephp's $this->validates() method to validate each array

CTP code for each individual form field:

<?php
$isError = false;
if (!empty($errors['MyModel'][$index]['qualification_id']['message'])) {
    $isError = true;
}
?>
<div class="col-lg-4<?php echo ($isError) ? ' error' : ''; ?>">
    <?php
    echo $this->Form->label(_('Qualification'));
    echo $this->Form->select('MyModel.' . $index . '.qualification_id', $qualifications, array('div' => false, 'required' => false, 'empty' => 'Please select', 'class' => 'form-control', 'maxlength' => 80));
    echo ($isError) ? '<span>' . $errors['MyModel'][$index]['qualification_id']['message'] . '</span>' : '';
    ?>
</div>

This is a bit long process, but it resolved my validation problem.

Thanks, Parag C.