Laravel/Eloquent: Validation from within the model - php

Question

Just getting to grips with Laravel 4.2 and eloquent. I've been watching the Laravel from Scratch casts on laracasts.com, particularly the lessons on validation and the follow up refactoring. The examples used throughout those lessons deal with a relatively basic user model whereby there are only 2 fields, username and password. My user model contains many more fields and my registration form asks for the user to re-enter/confirm the password they have entered.
It seems to be recommended that the process of validating user input should be done within the model, which makes total sense. So just like that tutorial I have gone ahead and added an isValid method to my model to validate user input on my registration form. I fill my user model based on the input like this:
$input = Input::all();
if (!$this->user->fill($input)->isValid()) {
return Redirect::back()->withInput()->withErrors($this->user->errors);
}
So I've written my rules and got the validation working and I am now ready to save the user's input to the database. However, since I've filled my model with the entire user input, the user model instance now contains an attribute of confirm_password and calling $user->save(); gives me an error (Since I don't have this field in my database table). In addition, since I have just passed in the user input to validate, the password there is not hashed either.
What would be the best approach to take with regards to validating user input VS having the model actually represent the database table? I know there are ways I could get around all this by doing things like moving the validation outside the model and perhaps just let the model store the validations rules etc. but I can looking for advice on the best practice.
Thanks

Answer 1

You may remove it before saving, for example:
$input = Input::all();
if (!$this->user->fill($input)->isValid()) {
return Redirect::back()->withInput()->withErrors($this->user->errors);
}
else {
unset($this->user->attributes['confirm_password']);
$this->user->save();
}
This may work but not the proper way for doing it. You may also use a saving event like:
// Goes in to your model
protected static function boot()
{
parent::boot();
static::saving(function($model) {
unset($model->attributes['confirm_password']);
});
}
Since you are validationg inside your model then you may trigger the validation on saving event, like:
protected static function boot()
{
parent::boot();
static::saving(function($model) {
if($model->isValid()) {
unset($model->attributes['confirm_password']);
return true;
}
return false;
});
}

Answer 2

There are nicer ways to accomplish this same thing.
Restrict your Input values. You can pass Input::all() to your validator and still do this.
$input = Input::only('username', 'password');
// – OR –
$input = Input::except('confirm_password');
Add $fillable to your User model.
class User extends Eloquent {
protected $fillable = array('id', 'name', 'email', 'password');
}
Then you can populate the database from the Input and only the columns in the fillable array will be populated. Make sure you have good validation rules if you try this.
$user = User::create(Input::all());
This will accomplish what you are trying to do without unsetting Input values or adding Model events.