Validating URL-Parameter by using Model-Rules CakePHP - php

Question

i just write my first article so please tell me if i've done something wrong!
My Problem: I want to validate data given by url.
../Logs/requests?from=2011-10-18T16:15:00&to=2011-10-18T16:30:00&fmt=csv
I have just find out that there is an option to validate with the rules added to the Model.
public $validate = array(
'request_id' => array(
'alphaNumeric' => array(
'rule' => 'alphaNumeric',
'required' => true,
'message' => 'Alphabets and numbers only'
),
)
);
Using "ModelName->set($params)" in the Controller and after that the "ModelName->validates()"-function should deliver the answer if its valid or not. The only differenz between my solution and the solution at http://book.cakephp.org/2.0/en/models/data-validation/validating-data-from-the-controller.html
is that my controller using a couple of Models to collect the data for the response.
The problem is that the "validates()"-function just return "valid" even if i put in special-characters or other stuff what should be "not valid"-signed by the model-rules.
Help!

Answer 1

This is not an answer, but added to assist the OP;
I've created a test controller/model to test your situation. I deliberately did not extend the 'AppController' / 'AppModel' to remove any code in those from causing problems.
My test model (app/Model/Some.php)
class Some extends Model
{
public $name = 'Some';
public $useTable = 'false';
public $validate = array(
'request_id' => array(
'alphaNumeric' => array(
'rule' => 'alphaNumeric',
'required' => true,
'message' => 'Alphabets and numbers only'
),
)
);
}
My test controller (app/Controller/SomeController.php)
class SomeController extends Controller
{
public $uses = array('Some');
public function index()
{
$this->autoRender = false;
$params = array('Some' => array('request_id'=>'4*G/&2'));
$this->Some->set($params);
$result = $this->Some->validates();
debug($result);
$params = array('Some' => array('request_id'=>'AAAA'));
$this->Some->set($params);
$result = $this->Some->validates();
debug($result);
}
}
Outputs:
\app\Controller\SomeController.php (line 32)
false
\app\Controller\SomeController.php (line 37)
true
This test setup seems to work as planned, so you may try to test these in your application as well to narrow down the cause of your problem. Maybe some behavior is attached to your AppModel that contains a 'beforeValidate()' callback and disables the validation of the request_id field?