overriding repeated validation rules in yii - php

Question

plz i have some rules function that i dont want to change in its code (BaseModel from database)
and i make other rules function in the model , i want to change in it
the base one "dont ant to change"
public function rules() {
return array(
array('start_date, end_date, info, type_id', 'required'),
array('start_date, end_date, type_id', 'length', 'max'=>10),
}
and i want to change in other function in the model that inherit from the base model
here is its code
public function rules()
{
$rules = array(
array('start_date, end_date, type_id', 'length', 'max'=>16),
);
return array_merge($rules,parent::rules());
}
the problem that it uses max value as 10 , not 16
i want it 16
even when i chenge last line to
return array_merge(parent::rules(),$rules);

Answer 1

The reason it might not work is because the rule for 'max'=>10 still exists in rules() irrespective of the order. Replacing the rule works for me.
public function rules(){
$rules=parent::rules();
$rules[1]=array('start_date, end_date, type_id', 'length', 'max'=>16);
return $rules;
}
Edit
To replace the rule using 'start_date, end_date, type_id' as the "key" you need a recursive array search:
public function rules(){
$rules=parent::rules();
$index=0;//index of the rule
outer: foreach($rules as $rule){
if(array_search('start_date, end_date, type_id',$rule)!==false)
break outer;
$index++;
}
$rules[$index]=array('start_date, end_date, type_id', 'length', 'max'=>16);
return $rules;
}
This checks for the existing rule and if it doesn't exist adds the rule as the last element of $rules. This won't work if someone edits the first element in the base class e.g to add a new property/field to the rule.

Answer 2

Just completed the same task, created a merging helper function:
public function mergeRules($parent, $rules)
{
// creating curent rules map
$rulesMap = [];
foreach ($rules as $rule) {
$validator = $rule[1];
$attributes = array_map('trim', explode(',', $rule[0]));
if (!isset($rulesMap[$validator])) {
$rulesMap[$validator] = [];
}
$rulesMap[$validator] = CMap::mergeArray($rulesMap[$validator], $attributes);
}
// checking for attributes in parent rules against created rule map
if (!empty($rulesMap)) {
foreach ($parent as $i => $rule) {
$validator = $rule[1];
if (empty($rulesMap[$validator])) {
continue;
}
$attributes = array_map('trim', explode(',', $rule[0]));
foreach ($attributes as $k => $attribute) {
if (in_array($attribute, $rulesMap[$validator])) {
unset($attributes[$k]);
}
}
// unset if we got inherited rule of same validator
if (empty($attributes)) {
unset($parent[$i]);
} else {
$parent[$i][0] = implode(', ', $attributes);
}
}
}
return array_merge($parent, $rules);
}
Then in rules() function you just call:
public function rules()
{
// NOTE: you should only define rules for those attributes that
// will receive user inputs.
$rules = array(
blablabla...
);
return $this->mergeRules(parent::rules(), $rules);
}

Answer 3

One way to do this is to give your rules a key.
From the docs
Note: It is handy to give names to rules i.e.
public function rules()
{
return [
// ...
'password' => [['password'], 'string', 'max' => 60],
];
}
You can use it in a child model:
public function rules()
{
$rules = parent::rules();
unset($rules['password']);
return $rules;
}
In your case you could do this in your parent class:-
public function rules() {
return array(
'requiredArray' => array('start_date, end_date, info, type_id', 'required'),
'maxLengthArray' => array('start_date, end_date, type_id', 'length', 'max'=>10),
}
and in your child class:-
public function rules()
{
$parent = parent::rules();
$rules = array(
'maxLengthArray' => array('start_date, end_date, type_id', 'length', 'max'=>16)
);
unset($parent['maxLengthArray']);
return array_merge($parent,$rules);
}
Edit:
Keeping in mind that if you want to update only 'one' attribute within the 'maxLengthArray'... the others will have to be re-applied after 'unset' from parent ( obviously :) ).
eg:-
Changing only type_id length... the child would look like:-
public function rules()
{
$parent = parent::rules();
$rules = array(
'maxLengthArray' => array('start_date, end_date', 'length', 'max'=>10),
'typeIdLength' => array('type_id', 'length', 'max'=>16),
);
unset($parent['maxLengthArray']);
return array_merge($parent,$rules);
}