Class Form
Form abstraction used to create forms not tied to ORM backed models, or to other permanent datastores. Ideal for implementing forms on top of API services, or contact forms.
Building a form
This class is most useful when subclassed. In a subclass you
should define the _buildSchema, validationDefault and optionally,
the _execute methods. These allow you to declare your form's
fields, validation and primary action respectively.
Forms are conventionally placed in the App\Form namespace.
Constants
Property Summary
-
$_data protected
arrayForm's data.
-
$_errors protected
arrayThe errors if any
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$_eventClass protected
stringDefault class name for new event objects.
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$_eventManager protected
Cake\Event\EventManagerInterface|nullInstance of the Cake\Event\EventManager this object is using to dispatch inner events.
-
$_schema protected
Cake\Form\Schema|nullThe schema used by this form.
-
$_schemaClass protected
stringSchema class.
-
$_validatorClass protected
stringValidator class.
-
$_validators protected
array<Cake\Validation\Validator>A list of validation objects indexed by name
Method Summary
-
__construct() public
Constructor
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__debugInfo() public
Get the printable version of a Form instance.
-
_buildSchema() protected
A hook method intended to be implemented by subclasses.
-
_execute() protected
Hook method to be implemented in subclasses.
-
createValidator() protected
Creates a validator using a custom method inside your class.
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dispatchEvent() public
Wrapper for creating and dispatching events.
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execute() public
Execute the form if it is valid.
-
getData() public
Get field data.
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getErrors() public
Get the errors in the form
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getEventManager() public
Returns the Cake\Event\EventManager manager instance for this object.
-
getSchema() public
Get the schema for this form.
-
getValidator() public
Returns the validation rules tagged with $name. It is possible to have multiple different named validation sets, this is useful when you need to use varying rules when saving from different routines in your system.
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hasValidator() public
Checks whether a validator has been set.
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implementedEvents() public
Get the Form callbacks this form is interested in.
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schema() public deprecated
Get/Set the schema for this form.
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set() public
Saves a variable or an associative array of variables for use inside form data.
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setData() public
Set form data.
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setErrors() public
Set the errors in the form.
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setEventManager() public
Returns the Cake\Event\EventManagerInterface instance for this object.
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setSchema() public
Set the schema for this form.
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setValidator() public
This method stores a custom validator under the given name.
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validate() public
Used to check if $data passes this form's validation.
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validationDefault() public
Returns the default validator object. Subclasses can override this function to add a default validation set to the validator object.
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validationMethodExists() protected
Checks if validation method exists.
Method Detail
__construct() ¶ public
__construct(Cake\Event\EventManager|null $eventManager = null)Constructor
Parameters
-
Cake\Event\EventManager|null$eventManager optional The event manager. Defaults to a new instance.
__debugInfo() ¶ public
__debugInfo(): array<string, mixed>Get the printable version of a Form instance.
Returns
array<string, mixed>_buildSchema() ¶ protected
_buildSchema(Cake\Form\Schema $schema): Cake\Form\SchemaA hook method intended to be implemented by subclasses.
You can use this method to define the schema using the methods on {@link \Cake\Form\Schema}, or loads a pre-defined schema from a concrete class.
Parameters
-
Cake\Form\Schema$schema The schema to customize.
Returns
Cake\Form\Schema_execute() ¶ protected
_execute(array $data): boolHook method to be implemented in subclasses.
Used by execute() to execute the form's action.
Parameters
-
array$data Form data.
Returns
boolcreateValidator() ¶ protected
createValidator(string $name): Cake\Validation\ValidatorCreates a validator using a custom method inside your class.
This method is used only to build a new validator and it does not store it in your object. If you want to build and reuse validators, use getValidator() method instead.
Parameters
-
string$name The name of the validation set to create.
Returns
Cake\Validation\ValidatorThrows
RuntimeExceptiondispatchEvent() ¶ public
dispatchEvent(string $name, array|null $data = null, object|null $subject = null): Cake\Event\EventInterfaceWrapper for creating and dispatching events.
Returns a dispatched event.
Parameters
-
string$name Name of the event.
-
array|null$data optional Any value you wish to be transported with this event to it can be read by listeners.
-
object|null$subject optional The object that this event applies to ($this by default).
Returns
Cake\Event\EventInterfaceexecute() ¶ public
execute(array $data, array<string, mixed> $options = []): boolExecute the form if it is valid.
First validates the form, then calls the _execute() hook method.
This hook method can be implemented in subclasses to perform
the action of the form. This may be sending email, interacting
with a remote API, or anything else you may need.
Options:
- validate: Set to
falseto disable validation. Can also be a string of the validator ruleset to be applied. Defaults totrue/'default'.
Parameters
-
array$data Form data.
-
array<string, mixed>$options optional List of options.
Returns
boolgetData() ¶ public
getData(string|null $field = null): mixedGet field data.
Parameters
-
string|null$field optional The field name or null to get data array with all fields.
Returns
mixedgetErrors() ¶ public
getErrors(): arrayGet the errors in the form
Will return the errors from the last call
to validate() or execute().
Returns
arraygetEventManager() ¶ public
getEventManager(): Cake\Event\EventManagerInterfaceReturns the Cake\Event\EventManager manager instance for this object.
You can use this instance to register any new listeners or callbacks to the object events, or create your own events and trigger them at will.
Returns
Cake\Event\EventManagerInterfacegetSchema() ¶ public
getSchema(): Cake\Form\SchemaGet the schema for this form.
This method will call _buildSchema() when the schema
is first built. This hook method lets you configure the
schema or load a pre-defined one.
Returns
Cake\Form\SchemagetValidator() ¶ public
getValidator(string|null $name = null): Cake\Validation\ValidatorReturns the validation rules tagged with $name. It is possible to have multiple different named validation sets, this is useful when you need to use varying rules when saving from different routines in your system.
If a validator has not been set earlier, this method will build a valiator using a method inside your class.
For example, if you wish to create a validation set called 'forSubscription', you will need to create a method in your Table subclass as follows:
public function validationForSubscription($validator)
{
return $validator
->add('email', 'valid-email', ['rule' => 'email'])
->add('password', 'valid', ['rule' => 'notBlank'])
->requirePresence('username');
}
$validator = $this->getValidator('forSubscription');You can implement the method in validationDefault in your Table subclass
should you wish to have a validation set that applies in cases where no other
set is specified.
If a $name argument has not been provided, the default validator will be returned.
You can configure your default validator name in a DEFAULT_VALIDATOR
class constant.
Parameters
-
string|null$name optional The name of the validation set to return.
Returns
Cake\Validation\ValidatorhasValidator() ¶ public
hasValidator(string $name): boolChecks whether a validator has been set.
Parameters
-
string$name The name of a validator.
Returns
boolimplementedEvents() ¶ public
implementedEvents(): array<string, mixed>Get the Form callbacks this form is interested in.
The conventional method map is:
- Form.buildValidator => buildValidator
Returns
array<string, mixed>schema() ¶ public
schema(Cake\Form\Schema|null $schema = null): Cake\Form\SchemaGet/Set the schema for this form.
This method will call _buildSchema() when the schema
is first built. This hook method lets you configure the
schema or load a pre-defined one.
Parameters
-
Cake\Form\Schema|null$schema optional The schema to set, or null.
Returns
Cake\Form\Schemaset() ¶ public
set(array|string $name, mixed $value = null): $thisSaves a variable or an associative array of variables for use inside form data.
Parameters
-
array|string$name The key to write, can be a dot notation value. Alternatively can be an array containing key(s) and value(s).
-
mixed$value optional Value to set for var
Returns
$thissetData() ¶ public
setData(array $data): $thisSet form data.
Parameters
-
array$data Data array.
Returns
$thissetErrors() ¶ public
setErrors(array $errors): $thisSet the errors in the form.
$errors = [
'field_name' => ['rule_name' => 'message']
];
$form->setErrors($errors);Parameters
-
array$errors Errors list.
Returns
$thissetEventManager() ¶ public
setEventManager(Cake\Event\EventManagerInterface $eventManager): $thisReturns the Cake\Event\EventManagerInterface instance for this object.
You can use this instance to register any new listeners or callbacks to the object events, or create your own events and trigger them at will.
Parameters
-
Cake\Event\EventManagerInterface$eventManager the eventManager to set
Returns
$thissetSchema() ¶ public
setSchema(Cake\Form\Schema $schema): $thisSet the schema for this form.
Parameters
-
Cake\Form\Schema$schema The schema to set
Returns
$thissetValidator() ¶ public
setValidator(string $name, Cake\Validation\Validator $validator): $thisThis method stores a custom validator under the given name.
You can build the object by yourself and store it in your object:
$validator = new \Cake\Validation\Validator();
$validator
->add('email', 'valid-email', ['rule' => 'email'])
->add('password', 'valid', ['rule' => 'notBlank'])
->allowEmpty('bio');
$this->setValidator('forSubscription', $validator);Parameters
-
string$name The name of a validator to be set.
-
Cake\Validation\Validator$validator Validator object to be set.
Returns
$thisvalidate() ¶ public
validate(array $data, string|null $validator = null): boolUsed to check if $data passes this form's validation.
Parameters
-
array$data The data to check.
-
string|null$validator optional Validator name.
Returns
boolThrows
RuntimeExceptionIf validator is invalid.
validationDefault() ¶ public
validationDefault(Cake\Validation\Validator $validator): Cake\Validation\ValidatorReturns the default validator object. Subclasses can override this function to add a default validation set to the validator object.
Parameters
-
Cake\Validation\Validator$validator The validator that can be modified to add some rules to it.
Returns
Cake\Validation\ValidatorvalidationMethodExists() ¶ protected
validationMethodExists(string $name): boolChecks if validation method exists.
Parameters
-
string$name Validation method name.
Returns
bool