Codeigniter HMVC MY_Form_validation from library - php

Question

Whatever I do I cant seem to use the dob function in my MY_Form_validation... please note the _register_verify is inside my User library, and not a controller, so I'm using $CI and not $this...
<?php
/** application/libraries/MY_Form_validation **/
class MY_Form_validation extends CI_Form_validation
{
public $CI;
function __construct( $config = array() )
{
parent::__construct($config);
log_message('DEBUG', 'MY FORM VALIDATION Initialized!!');
}
// --------------------------------------------------------------------
public function dob($dob)
{
$CI =& get_instance();
$CI->form_validation->set_message('dob[]_check', 'Please enter a valid DOB');
show_error('I AM AN ERROR');
}
This is the function in my User Library...
public function _register_verify($testmode = FALSE)
{
if ($testmode) return TRUE;
$CI =& get_instance();
$CI->load->library('form_validation');
$CI->form_validation->CI =& $CI;
$CI->form_validation->set_rules('dob[]', 'DOB', 'trim|dob');
if ($CI->form_validation->run() == FALSE)
{
// What to do if user details are NOT correct?
$CI->session->set_flashdata('dob_error', form_error('dob[]'));
return FALSE;
} else {
return TRUE;
}
}
I'v tried extending the MY_Form_validation and nothing else and it still doesnt work. And most of the turotials i've found call the form_validation from a controller.
I have checked the log and the log message is not there and no error shows.
EDIT: Managed to get the class initialized, however the dob never gets called

Answer 1

Functions inside of MY_Form_Validation.php should return boolean values that give the outcome of the test.
public function dob($dob){
//not perfect, but, returns true if date matches 12/10/1999 for example.
return preg_match("/^[0-9]{2}\/[0-9]{2}\/[0-9]{4}$/", $dob);
}
Make sure you've set dob as a rule either in you controller, or in your config file, depending on how you've set things up:
$this->load->library('form_validation');
$this->form_validation->set_rules('dob', 'date of birth', 'required|dob');
Errors are handled in application/language/english/form_validation_lang.php. Add:
$lang['dob'] = "Oops, wrong DOB format.";
Lastly, please run your form validations inside your controller, not a library, or model. There is no need to call get_instance() and assign to $CI in this use-case.