DRYVal

A lightweight library to make your data validation easy, with Laravel PHP Framework.

Make your models self validating, just define the validation rules in your Eloquent model. Whenever you try to create or update data with your model and if validation fails, an exception will be thrown.

Installation

Add this to require section (in your composer.json):

"usmanhalalit/dryval": "1.*@dev"

And run: composer update. Library on Packagist.

Usage Example

use Dryval\ValidationTrait;

class Campaign extends Eloquent {
    use ValidationTrait;

    protected static $rules = [
        'title' => 'required|min:5|max:50', // `title` is the field in your table
        'description' => 'required|min:5|max:500',
    ];

}

Now every time a validation rule breaks a Dryval\ValidationException will be thrown.

Laravel 5

To catch this put the code below in render() method of your app/Exceptions/Handler.php. It will look like this:

public function render($request, Exception $e)
{
    try {
        return \Redirect::back()->with('error', $e->getMessages()->first())->withInput(\Input::except('password'));
    } catch (Exception $exception) {
        // Fallback if referer doesn't exist
        return \Redirect::to('/')->with('error', $e->getMessages()->first())->withInput(\Input::except('password'));
    }
}

Laravel 4

Put the code below in your app/start/global.php :

App::error(function(\Dryval\ValidationException $e)
{
    try {
        return \Redirect::back()->with('error', $e->getMessages()->first())->withInput(\Input::except('password'));
    } catch (Exception $exception) {
        // Fallback if referer doesn't exist
        return \Redirect::to('/')->with('error', $e->getMessages()->first())->withInput(\Input::except('password'));
    }
});

This will set a flush message on session with key error. You're free to do whatever you want. Simple as that.

Now you don't have to validate input everywhere. Just save the data and it will be automatically validated. DRYVal utilizes PHP 5.4 Traits to make this happen. So you are not forced to extend a class.

More on Usage

Custom Validation Messages

If you want custom validation messages then you can put a static $messages array in your model. Example:

protected static $messages = [
     'unique' => 'This :attribute is already registered.'
];

Base Model

If all of your Eloquent models extend a Base Model then you can use the trait in just your Base Model and you're good to go.

Updating with Unique Rule

When you validate using unique rule and you want skip certain id then you can just use :id: placeholder.

Let me clarify, you don't want to allow duplicate email addresses in your users table. You add this rule in your model:

protected static $rules = [
    'email' => 'required|email|unique:users,email'
];

Now a user signsup with me@example.com which is not already in database, that's fine. But now what if the user is trying to update his profile with some changes but same email address? Yes, validation will fail. To solve this problem Laravel accepts the 3rd param for unique rule. DRYVal makes it even easier just use :id: placeholder as 3rd param, its like a dynamic id. Example:

protected static $rules = [
    'email' => 'required|email|unique:users,email,:id:'
];

For this feature, credit goes to Role Model.

ValidationException

DRYVal throws Dryval\ValidationException when validation fails. You can catch this exception app wise as shown in the first example or you can catch this in your controller/class. The getMessages()(plural) method of this exception class will return the validation error messages (MessageBag) same as Laravel's $validator->messages(). More here.

You can also throw this exception anywhere you need.

© 2015 Muhammad Usman. Licensed under MIT license.