Custom validation error messages in CodeIgniter config file - php

Question

I'm new to CodeIgniter (v 3.0.0) (coming from CakePHP), and I'm trying to set custom validation error messages to one of my forms. I'm using a config file to store all my validation rules, as explained here. This is my application/config/form_validation.php file:
<?php if (!defined('BASEPATH')) exit('No direct script access allowed');
$config = array(
'appointments/signup' => array(
array(
'field' => 'admin[name]',
'label' => 'Name',
'rules' => 'required',
'errors' => array(
'required' => 'Please tell us your %s',
),
),
array(
'field' => 'admin[email]',
'label' => 'Email',
'rules' => 'required|valid_email|is_unique[users.email]',
'errors' => array(
'required' => 'Please enter your %s address',
'valid_email' => 'Please enter a valid email address',
'is_unique' => 'That email is already taken. Forgot your password?'
)
),
array(
'field' => 'admin[username]',
'label' => 'Username',
'rules' => 'required|min_length[4]|max_length[25]|is_unique[user_settings.username]',
'errors' => array(
'required' => 'Please choose a %s',
'min_length' => '%s must me at least 4 characters long',
'max_length' => '%s cannot exceen 25 characters',
'is_unique' => '%s is already taken :('
)
),
array(
'field' => 'admin[phone_number]',
'label' => 'Phone number',
'rules' => 'min_length[0]',
),
array(
'field' => 'admin[password]',
'label' => 'Password',
'rules' => 'required|min_length[8]',
'errors' => array(
'required' => 'Please choose a %s',
'min_length' => '%s must be at least 8 characters long'
)
),
array(
'field' => 'admin[passconf]',
'label' => 'Password',
'rules' => 'required|matches[admin[password]]',
'errors' => array(
'required' => 'Please re-type your %s',
'matches' => '%ss do not match'
)
),
array(
'field' => 'company[company_name]',
'label' => 'Organization\'s Name',
'rules' => 'required',
'errors' => array(
'required' => 'Please tell us your %s',
)
),
),
);
As you can see, I'm trying to set custom validation feedback using the errors array, as detailed here. But I still see the global default The <field name> field is required. message.
Is there a way to set custom validation messages in the config file, without having to edit the global default file?

Answer 1

Try to change the order of the keys in your array, something like this:
'appointments/signup' => array(
array(
'field' => 'admin[name]',
'label' => 'Name',
'errors' => array(
'required' => 'Please tell us your %s',
),
'rules' => 'required',
)
The exact same problem was happening to me, and after some debugging on the core classes, I was feeling stupid enough to try this.
Looks like a bug, but I didn't go any further.
I'm using version 3.0.1.
UPDATE
I was wrong, if this was happening on v 3.0.0, is not happening on 3.0.1. What I described above was me making a mistake with parentheses in my array.
Everything is working as it should.

Answer 2

validation error messages comes from language files because each language has own error messages
I think you can change validation error messages in language files.

Answer 3

Please try use helpers under application/helpers and define your validation errors in function. Then try accessing the validation rules or use errors under application/errors. please refer https://ellislab.com/codeigniter/user-guide/general/helpers.html

Answer 4

Firstly, make sure you are using Codeigniter 3 not any version of Codeigniter 2.x.x.
I was in trouble with the same issue and found that the errors array is available in Codeigniter 3 version and the config rules are set in form_validation's run() method, so if you see the set_rules function in Form_validation.php file you will see the 4th parameter which is errors
/**
* Set Rules
*
* This function takes an array of field names and validation
* rules as input, any custom error messages, validates the info,
* and stores it
*
* #param mixed $field
* #param string $label
* #param mixed $rules
* #param array $errors
* #return CI_Form_validation
*/
public function set_rules($field, $label = '', $rules = array(), $errors = array())
{
.....
And which is not available in 2.2-stable version, see Form_validation.php, and see the piece of code which shows the difference
/**
* Set Rules
*
* This function takes an array of field names and validation
* rules as input, validates the info, and stores it
*
* #access public
* #param mixed
* #param string
* #return void
*/
public function set_rules($field, $label = '', $rules = '')
{
....

Answer 5

May be you should put your key field within inverted commas like:
'field' => "admin['name']"

Answer 6

Do not try use direct call to signup(your_func_name).
$this->form_validation->run('signup')
Use alternate method - (controller_name/function_name)
$config = array(
'Authenticate_user/signup' => array(
array(
'field' => 'firstname',
'label' => 'Name',
'rules' => 'trim|required'
),
array(
'field' => 'useremail',
'label' => 'Email ID',
'rules' => 'trim|required|callback_check_unique_emailid'
),
array(
'field' => 'gender',
'label' => 'Gender',
'rules' => 'trim|required'
),
array(
'field' => 'age',
'label' => 'Age',
'rules' => 'trim|required'
),
array(
'field' => 'passcode',
'label' => 'Password',
'rules' => 'trim|required'
),
array(
'field' => 'confirmpasscode',
'label' => 'Confirm Password',
'rules' => 'required|matches[passcode]',
'errors' => array(
'matches[passcode]' => 'Only number is allowed'
)
),
array(
'field' => 'usertype',
'label' => 'User Type',
'rules' => 'trim|required'
),
array(
'field' => 'country',
'label' => 'Country',
'rules' => 'trim|required'
),
array(
'field' => 'state',
'label' => 'State',
'rules' => 'trim|required'
),
array(
'field' => 'category',
'label' => 'Category',
'rules' => 'required'
)
));
then call like it,
if ($this->form_validation->run() == FALSE) {... }
cheers!!!