CakePHP isUnique Validation During User Edit

Question

I have the following validation code processed for my User Model. It works good when creating a User, however, it does not work when updating. I am aware of 'on' => 'create', but I want the rule to also apply during Edit as well. I am allowing a user to change its username, but if what the user is changing it to is already in Db, the submission should be denied.

var $validate = array(
    'username' => array(
        'alphaNumeric' => array(
                'rule' => 'alphaNumeric',
                'message' => 'Usa letras ou numeros como o teu << Usuario >>',
        ),
        'between' => array(
                'rule' => array('between' , 5, 15),
                'message' => 'O << Usuario >> tens que ter entre 5 a 15 letras/numeros',
        ),
        'isUnique' => array(
                'rule' => 'isUnique',
                'message' => 'O << Usuario >> que escolhestes ja foi utilizado. Escolhe um outro.'
        )
    )
);

Since the user needs to be logged in to reach the Edit page, could a custom validation rule be created to:

Check If the Submitted Username already belongs to the Auth->User('id') and if it is submit normally
However, if the username being submitted is different than Auth->User('username'), we should check if no one else has this username.
And if Auth->User() is NULL, process isUnique as normal as this only apply when creating new User.

Thanks

check

AKKAweb AKKAweb · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-25T13:49:00

I was able to fix my problem using the following:

var $validate = array(
    'username' => array(
        'third' => array(
                'rule' => array('checkUniqueName'),
                'message' => 'O << Usuario >> que escolhestes ja foi utilizado. Escolhe um outro.'
        )
    ),
    'email' => array(
        'second' => array(
            'rule' => array('checkUniqueEmail'),
            'message' => 'Este email ja foi registado anteriormente. Contacta-nos se foi por engano'
        )
    )
);  


function checkUniqueName($data) {

    $isUnique = $this->find(
                'first',
                array(
                    'fields' => array(
                        'User.id',
            'User.username'
                    ),
                    'conditions' => array(
                        'User.username' => $data['username']
                    )
                )
        );

    if(!empty($isUnique)){

        if($this->authUserId == $isUnique['User']['id']){
            return true; //Allow update
        }else{
            return false; //Deny update
        }
    }else{
        return true; //If there is no match in DB allow anyone to change
    }
    }

function checkUniqueEmail($data) {

    $isUnique = $this->find(
                'first',
                array(
                    'fields' => array(
                        'User.id'
                    ),
                    'conditions' => array(
                        'User.email' => $data['email']
                    )
                )
        );

    if(!empty($isUnique)){

        if($this->authUserId == $isUnique['User']['id']){
            return true; //Allow update
        }else{
            return false; //Deny update
        }
    }else{
        return true; //If there is no match in DB allow anyone to change
    }
    }

CakePHP isUnique Validation During User Edit

2 Answers