FormValidator::Simple - validation with simple chains of constraints

NAME

FormValidator::Simple - validation with simple chains of constraints

SYNOPSIS

    my $query = CGI->new;
    $query->param( param1 => 'ABCD' );
    $query->param( param2 =>  12345 );
    $query->param( mail1  => 'lyo.kato@gmail.com' );
    $query->param( mail2  => 'lyo.kato@gmail.com' );
    $query->param( year   => 2005 );
    $query->param( month  =>   11 );
    $query->param( day    =>   27 );
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $query => [
        param1 => ['NOT_BLANK', 'ASCII', ['LENGTH', 2, 5]],
        param2 => ['NOT_BLANK', 'INT'  ],
        mail1  => ['NOT_BLANK', 'EMAIL_LOOSE'],
        mail2  => ['NOT_BLANK', 'EMAIL_LOOSE'],
        { mails => ['mail1', 'mail2'       ] } => ['DUPLICATION'],
        { date  => ['year',  'month', 'day'] } => ['DATE'],
    ] );
    if ( $result->has_error ) {
        my $tt = Template->new({ INCLUDE_PATH => './tmpl' });
        $tt->process('template.html', { result => $result });
    }

template example

    [% IF result.has_error %]
    <p>Found Input Error</p>
    <ul>
        [% IF result.missing('param1') %]
        <li>param1 is blank.</li>
        [% END %]
        [% IF result.invalid('param1') %]
        <li>param1 is invalid.</li>
        [% END %]
        [% IF result.invalid('param1', 'ASCII') %]
        <li>param1 needs ascii code.</li>
        [% END %]
        [% IF result.invalid('param1', 'LENGTH') %]
        <li>input into param1 with characters that's length should be between two and five. </li>
        [% END %]
    </ul>
    [% END %]

example2

    [% IF result.has_error %]
    <ul>
        [% FOREACH key IN result.error %]
            [% FOREACH type IN result.error(key) %]
            <li>invalid: [% key %] - [% type %]</li>
            [% END %]
        [% END %]
    </ul>
    [% END %]

DESCRIPTION

This module provides you a sweet way of form data validation with simple constraints chains. You can write constraints on single line for each input data.

This idea is based on Sledge::Plugin::Validator, and most of validation code is borrowed from this plugin.

(Sledge is a MVC web application framework: http://sl.edge.jp [Japanese] )

The result object this module returns behaves like the Data::FormValidator::Results manpage.

HOW TO SET PROFILE

    FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        #profile
    ] );

Use 'check' method.

A hash reference includes input data, or an object of some class that has a method named 'param', for example the CGI manpage, is needed as first argument.

And set profile as array reference into second argument. Profile consists of some pairs of input data and constraints.

    my $q = CGI->new;
    $q->param( param1 => 'hoge' );
    FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        param1 => [ ['NOT_BLANK'], ['LENGTH', 4, 10] ],
    ] );

In this case, param1 is the name of a form element. and the array ref ``[ ['NOT_BLANK']... ]'' is a constraints chain.

Write constraints chain as arrayref, and you can set some constraints into it. In the last example, two constraints 'NOT_BLANK', and 'LENGTH' are set. Each constraints is should be set as arrayref, but in case the constraint has no argument, it can be written as scalar text.

    FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        param1 => [ 'NOT_BLANK', ['LENGTH', 4, 10] ],
    ] );

Now, in this sample 'NOT_BLANK' constraint is not an arrayref, but 'LENGTH' isn't. Because 'LENGTH' has two arguments, 4 and 10.

MULTIPLE DATA VALIDATION

When you want to check about multiple input data, do like this.

    my $q = CGI->new;
    $q->param( mail1 => 'lyo.kato@gmail.com' );
    $q->param( mail2 => 'lyo.kato@gmail.com' );
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        { mails => ['mail1', 'mail2'] } => [ 'DUPLICATION' ],
    ] )
    [% IF result.invalid('mails') %]
    <p>mail1 and mail2 aren't same.</p>
    [% END %]

and here's an another example.

    my $q = CGI->new;
    $q->param( year  => 2005 );
    $q->param( month =>   12 );
    $q->param(   day =>   27 );
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [ 
        { date => ['year', 'month', 'day'] } => [ 'DATE' ],
    ] );
    [% IF result.invalid('date') %]
    <p>Set correct date.</p>
    [% END %]

FLEXIBLE VALIDATION

    my $valid = FormValidator::Simple->new();
    $valid->check( $q => [ 
        param1 => [qw/NOT_BLANK ASCII/, [qw/LENGTH 4 10/] ],
    ] );
    $valid->check( $q => [
        param2 => [qw/NOT_BLANK/],
    ] );
    my $results = $valid->results;
    if ( found some error... ) {
        $results->set_invalid('param3' => 'MY_ERROR');
    }

template example

    [% IF results.invalid('param1') %]
    ...
    [% END %]
    [% IF results.invalid('param2') %]
    ...
    [% END %]
    [% IF results.invalid('param3', 'MY_ERROR') %]
    ...
    [% END %]

HOW TO SET OPTIONS

Option setting is needed by some validation, especially in plugins.

You can set them in two ways.

    FormValidator::Simple->set_option(
        dbic_base_class => 'MyProj::Model::DBIC',
        charset         => 'euc',
    );

or

    $valid = FormValidator::Simple->new(
        dbic_base_class => 'MyProj::Model::DBIC',
        charset         => 'euc',
    );
    $valid->check(...)

VALIDATION COMMANDS

You can use follow variety validations. and each validations can be used as negative validation with 'NOT_' prefix.

    FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [ 
        param1 => [ 'INT', ['LENGTH', 4, 10] ],
        param2 => [ 'NOT_INT', ['NOT_LENGTH', 4, 10] ],
    ] );
SP
check if the data has space or not.

INT
check if the data is integer or not.

UINT
unsigined integer check. for example, if -1234 is input, the validation judges it invalid.

DECIMAL
    $q->param( 'num1' => '123.45678' );
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [ 
        num1 => [ ['DECIMAL', 3, 5] ],
    ] );

each numbers (3,5) mean maximum digits before/after '.'

ASCII
check is the data consists of only ascii code.

LENGTH
check the length of the data. 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        param1 => [ ['LENGTH', 4] ],
    ] );

check if the length of the data is 4 or not.

    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        param1 => [ ['LENGTH', 4, 10] ],
    ] );

when you set two arguments, it checks if the length of data is in the range between 4 and 10.

HTTP_URL
verify it is a http(s)-url 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        param1 => [ 'HTTP_URL' ],
    ] );

SELECTED_AT_LEAST
verify the quantity of selected parameters is counted over allowed minimum. 
    <input type="checkbox" name="hobby" value="music" /> Music
    <input type="checkbox" name="hobby" value="movie" /> Movie
    <input type="checkbox" name="hobby" value="game"  /> Game
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [ 
        hobby => ['NOT_BLANK', ['SELECTED_AT_LEAST', 2] ],
    ] );

REGEX
check with regular expression. 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [ 
        param1 => [ ['REGEX', qr/^hoge$/ ] ],
    ] );

DUPLICATION
check if the two data are same or not. 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [ 
        { duplication_check => ['param1', 'param2'] } => [ 'DUPLICATION' ],
    ] );

EMAIL
check with the Email::Valid manpage.

EMAIL_MX
check with the Email::Valid manpage, including mx check.

EMAIL_LOOSE
check with the Email::Valid::Loose manpage.

EMAIL_LOOSE_MX
check with the Email::Valid::Loose manpage, including mx check.

DATE
check with the Date::Calc manpage 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [ 
        { date => [qw/year month day/] } => [ 'DATE' ]
    ] );

TIME
check with the Date::Calc manpage 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        { time => [qw/hour min sec/] } => ['TIME'],
    ] );

DATETIME
check with the Date::Calc manpage 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [ 
        { datetime => [qw/year month day hour min sec/] } => ['DATETIME']
    ] );

DATETIME_STRPTIME
check with the DateTime::Format::Strptime manpage. 
    my $q = CGI->new;
    $q->param( datetime => '2006-04-26T19:09:21+0900' );
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
      datetime => [ [ 'DATETIME_STRPTIME', '%Y-%m-%dT%T%z' ] ],
    ] );

DATETIME_FORMAT
check with DateTime::Format::***. for example, the DateTime::Format::HTTP manpage, the DateTime::Format::Mail manpage, the DateTime::Format::MySQL manpage and etc. 
    my $q = CGI->new;
    $q->param( datetime => '2004-04-26 19:09:21' );
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
      datetime => [ [qw/DATETIME_FORMAT MySQL/] ],
    ] );

GREATER_THAN
numeric comparison 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        age => [ ['GREATER_THAN', 25] ],
    ] );

LESS_THAN
numeric comparison 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        age => [ ['LESS_THAN', 25] ],
    ] );

EQUAL_TO
numeric comparison 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        age => [ ['EQUAL_TO', 25] ],
    ] );

BETWEEN
numeric comparison 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        age => [ ['BETWEEN', 20, 25] ],
    ] );

ANY
check if there is not blank data in multiple data. 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [ 
        { some_data => [qw/param1 param2 param3/] } => ['ANY']
    ] );

IN_ARRAY
check if the food ordered is in menu 
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        food => [ ['IN_ARRAY', qw/noodle soba spaghetti/] ],
    ] };

HOW TO LOAD PLUGINS

    use FormValidator::Simple qw/Japanese CreditCard/;

the FormValidator::Simple::Plugin::Japanese manpage, the FormValidator::Simple::Plugin::CreditCard manpage are loaded.

or use 'load_plugin' method.

    use FormValidator::Simple;
    FormValidator::Simple->load_plugin('FormValidator::Simple::Plugin::CreditCard');

If you want to load plugin which name isn't in FormValidator::Simple::Plugin namespace, use +.

    use FormValidator::Simple qw/+MyApp::ValidatorPlugin/;

MESSAGE HANDLING

You can custom your own message with key and type.

    [% IF result.has_error %]
        [% FOREACH key IN result.error %]
            [% FOREACH type IN result.error(key) %]
            <p>error message:[% type %] - [% key %]</p>
            [% END %]
        [% END %]
    [% END %]

And you can also set messages configuration before. You can prepare configuration as hash reference.

    FormValidator::Simple->set_messages( {
        action1 => {
            name => {
                NOT_BLANK => 'input name!',
                LENGTH    => 'input name (length should be between 0 and 10)!',
            },
            email => {
                DEFAULT => 'input correct email address!',
            },
        },
    } );

or a YAML file.

    # messages.yml
    DEFAULT:
        name:
            DEFAULT: name is invalid!
    action1:
        name:
            NOT_BLANK: input name!
            LENGTH: input name(length should be between 0 and 10)!
        email:
            DEFAULT: input correct email address!
    action2:
        name:
            DEFAULT: ...
            
    # in your perl-script, set the file's path.
    FormValidator::Simple->set_messages('messages.yml');

DEFAULT is a special type. If it can't find setting for indicated validation-type, it uses message set for DEFAULT.

after setting, execute check(),

    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        name  => [qw/NOT_BLANK/, [qw/LENGTH 0 10/] ],
        email => [qw/NOT_BLANK EMAIL_LOOSE/, [qw/LENGTH 0 20/] ],
    ] );
    # matching result and messages for indicated action.
    my $messages = $result->messages('action1');
    foreach my $message ( @$messages ) {
        print $message, "\n";
    }
    # or you can get messages as hash style.
    # each fieldname is the key
    my $field_messages = $result->field_messages('action1');
    if ($field_messages->{name}) {
        foreach my $message ( @{ $field_messages->{name} } ) {
            print $message, "\n";
        }
    }

When it can't find indicated action, name, and type, it searches proper message from DEFAULT action. If in template file,

    [% IF result.has_error %]
        [% FOREACH msg IN result.messages('action1') %]
        <p>[% msg %]</p>
        [% END %]
    [% END %]

you can set each message format.

    FormValidator::Simple->set_message_format('<p>%s</p>');
    my $result = FormValidator::Simple->check( $q => [
        ...profile
    ] );
    [% IF result.has_error %]
        [% result.messages('action1').join("\n") %]
    [% END %]

RESULT HANDLING

See the FormValidator::Simple::Results manpage

FLAGGED UTF-8

If you set encoding like follows, it automatically decode the result messages.

    FormValidtor::Simple->set_mesasges_decode_from('utf-8');

SEE ALSO

the Data::FormValidator manpage

http://sl.edge.jp/ (Japanese)

http://sourceforge.jp/projects/sledge

AUTHOR

Lyo Kato <lyo.kato@gmail.com>

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

This library is free software. You can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as perl itself.

 FormValidator::Simple - validation with simple chains of constraints