Zend 1, identical validator without required - php

Question

How can i set the identical validator on a field without making it a required field in Zendframework 1 + allow the check of empty value.
here is the code
$this->addElement('password', 'password', array(
'label' => 'password',
'required' => false
),
));
$this->addElement('password', 'confirm', array(
'label' => 'confirm',
'required' => false,
'validators' => array(
array(
'validator' => 'Identical',
'options' => array(
'token' => 'password'
)
)
)
));
If the confirm element is set to 'required'=>false, the identical validator doesn't work if the value is empty.

Answer 1

You can't use Identical validator without required because in the isValid() method of Zend_Form_Element there is :
if ((('' === $value) || (null === $value))
&& !$this->isRequired()
&& $this->getAllowEmpty()
) {
return true;
}
and Zend_Form_Element_Password is an instance of Zend_Form_Element.
I think you have 3 possibilities:
Add required option in your confirm element, but you have a specific message required
Add allowEmpty option to false in your confirm element like this : 'allowEmpty' => false, instead of 'required' => false,
Create your own validator like the Cully Larson's answer. An other example it's the example #3 of the documentation about Writing validators. Otherwise, you can find more on the web. :)

Answer 2

I ended up writing my own validator for password confirmation:
class MyLib_Validate_PasswordConfirmation extends Zend_Validate_Abstract
{
const PASSWORD_MISMATACH = 'passwordMismatch';
protected $_messageTemplates = array(
self::PASSWORD_MISMATCH => 'This value does not match the confirmation value.'
);
/**
* Requires that 'password_confirm' be set in $context.
*/
public function isValid($value, $context = null)
{
$value = (string) $value;
$this->_setValue($value);
if (is_array($context)) {
if (isset($context['password_confirm'])
&& ($value == $context['password_confirm']))
{
return true;
}
} elseif (is_string($context) && ($value == $context)) {
return true;
}
$this->_error(self::PASSWORD_MISMATCH);
return false;
}
}