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, _buildValidator and optionally, the _execute methods. These allow you to declare your form's fields, validation and primary action respectively.

You can also define the validation and schema by chaining method calls off of $form->schema() and $form->validator().

Forms are conventionally placed in the App\Form namespace.

Namespace: Cake\Form
Location: Form/Form.php

Properties summary

  • $_errors protected
    array
    The errors if any
  • $_schema protected
    Cake\Form\Schema;
    The schema used by this form.
  • $_validator protected
    Cake\Validation\Validator;
    The validator used by this form.

Method Summary

  • __debugInfo() public
    Get the printable version of a Form instance.
  • _buildSchema() protected
    A hook method intended to be implemented by subclasses.
  • _buildValidator() protected
    A hook method intended to be implemented by subclasses.
  • _execute() protected
    Hook method to be implemented in subclasses.
  • errors() public
    Get the errors in the form
  • execute() public
    Execute the form if it is valid.
  • schema() public
    Get/Set the schema for this form.
  • validate() public
    Used to check if $data passes this form's validation.
  • validator() public
    Get/Set the validator for this form.

Method Detail

__debugInfo()source public 

__debugInfo( )

Get the printable version of a Form instance.

Returns

array

_buildSchema()source protected 

_buildSchema( Cake\Form\Schema $schema )

A hook method intended to be implemented by subclasses.

You can use this method to define the schema using the methods on 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
The schema to use.

_buildValidator()source protected 

_buildValidator( Cake\Validation\Validator $validator )

A hook method intended to be implemented by subclasses.

You can use this method to define the validator using the methods on Cake\Validation\Validator or loads a pre-defined validator from a concrete class.

Parameters

Cake\Validation\Validator $validator
The validator to customize.

Returns

Cake\Validation\Validator
The validator to use.

_execute()source protected 

_execute( array $data )

Hook method to be implemented in subclasses.

Used by execute() to execute the form's action.

Parameters

array $data
Form data.

Returns

boolean

errors()source public 

errors( )

Get the errors in the form

Will return the errors from the last call to validate() or execute().

Returns

array
Last set validation errors.

execute()source public 

execute( array $data )

Execute 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.

Parameters

array $data
Form data.

Returns

boolean

False on validation failure, otherwise returns the result of the _execute() method.


schema()source public 

schema( Cake\Form\Schema $schema null )

Get/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 $schema optional null
The schema to set, or null.

Returns

Cake\Form\Schema
the schema instance.

validate()source public 

validate( array $data )

Used to check if $data passes this form's validation.

Parameters

array $data
The data to check.

Returns

boolean
Whether or not the data is valid.

validator()source public 

validator( Cake\Validation\Validator $validator null )

Get/Set the validator for this form.

This method will call _buildValidator() when the validator is first built. This hook method lets you configure the validator or load a pre-defined one.

Parameters

Cake\Validation\Validator $validator optional null
The validator to set, or null.

Returns

Cake\Validation\Validator
the validator instance.

Properties detail

$_errorssource

protected array

The errors if any

[]

$_schemasource

protected Cake\Form\Schema;

The schema used by this form.

$_validatorsource

protected Cake\Validation\Validator;

The validator used by this form.

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https://api.cakephp.org/3.3/class-Cake.Form.Form.html