Comments on: The Model::validates() trap

By: rafaelbandeira3

rafaelbandeira3 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:08:21 +0000

@cakebaker: yes, but actually, save is not part of the ActiveRecord pattern, it belongs to the Mapper – wich is another role in the Model layer that is played by the Model class on cake – as update, and delete. The last one is the cranky one, that on cake acts on the record, that, although doesn’t feet the “pattern”, is much more logical.
But as you say “you can see it in that way”. It’s not a rule.

By: cakebaker

cakebaker — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:01:47 +0000

@all: Thanks for your comments!

@joe: Yes, somehow it feels just natural to pass the data directly to the validates() method.

@Phally: Yes, that’s an alternative to create(), thanks for mentioning it.

@Rafael: Yes, you can see it in that way. Unfortunately, the implementation doesn’t follow this principle strictly. Compare the methods validates() and save(): validates() doesn’t have a $data parameter whereas save() has such a parameter…

By: rafaelbandeira3

rafaelbandeira3 — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:21:47 +0000

On thing one should be aware when dealing with models is that the Model class represents almost the whole Model layer in cake’s MVC – the (Active)Record and the Finder – so every method that is not related to the finder scope is applied directly to the current record that the model is representing, if any, or the data and state of a incoming record.
So Model::validate() is supposed to validate the current record/state data, and that’s why it should receive only $options as parameters, and no data.
And that’s why the idea of keeping find methods on Model::find() and so on… to make a little separation, between the Finder and the Record.
In my implementations, every custom public method is only appliable to the Record concept or to the class itself – defining params and options.
That’s why I’m a “http://cakebaker.42dh.com/2008/09/23/an-alternative-way-to-define-custom-find-types/” Evangelist.

By: Phally

Phally — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:04:58 +0000

You can also use set() for that. Like this:


public function example() {
    $data = array('Project' => array('name' => 'Testproject'));
    $this->Project->set($data);
    if ($this->Project->validates()) {
        echo 'valid';
    } else {
        echo 'invalid';
    }
}

By: joe siao

joe siao — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:28:36 +0000

Hi,

I also make mistakes like you when using that function. Can’t get it used to my system yet.