is_unique for codeigniter form validation - php

Question

I'm trying to figure out how I can use the is_unique rule from the Codeigniter form validation library in the following situation.
I'm trying to submit a edit user form and have the rule:
$this->form_validation->set_rules('user_name', 'User Name', 'required|trim|xss_clean|is_unique[users.user_name]');
What if other values in the form are being changed but this value stays the same. The form is going to see that this value already exists so how would I protect it from editing if this value isn't changed.

Answer 1

Using your code as an example, the is_unique validation rule works by looking for a field called user_name in your users database table. If the field with the same value exists it validates as false.
To make sure it runs only when the user submits a new value, you could check the posted value $this->input->post('user_name') against the value you pulled from the database to populate your form with. If they are the same, don't validate is_unique;
if($this->input->post('user_name') != $original_value) {
$is_unique = '|is_unique[users.user_name]'
} else {
$is_unique = ''
}
$this->form_validation->set_rules('user_name', 'User Name', 'required|trim|xss_clean'.$is_unique);

Answer 2

There's a better way to go around it, I think, still using CodeIgniters' validation library...
Use edit_unique where you pass an extra parameter which is the id of the row you're editing.. See below.. I use it and works pretty fine for me.. hope it helps
$this->form_validation->set_rules('user_name', 'User Name', 'required|trim|xss_clean|edit_unique[users.user_name.'.$id.']');

Answer 3

$something = $this->input->post('something');
$this->form->validation->set_rules('something','Something','xss_clean|is_unique['tbl'.users]');
if($this->form_validation->run()== FALSE){
}

Answer 4

Simple Way
Just Change isset to is_object in system/libraries/form_validation.php
public function is_unique($str, $field)
{
sscanf($field, '%[^.].%[^.]', $table, $field);
return is_object($this->CI->db) //default isset
? ($this->CI->db->limit(1)->get_where($table, array($field => $str))->num_rows() === 0)
: FALSE;
}

Answer 5

Here's an easy method that worked for me and uses well documented code (thanks to https://github.com/ivantcholakov for sharing it!). I found it referenced at https://github.com/bcit-ci/CodeIgniter/issues/3109#issuecomment-46346280
Download https://github.com/ivantcholakov/starter-public-edition-3/blob/master/platform/application/libraries/MY_Form_validation.php (MIT licensed) and save it to your application at application\libraries\MY_Form_validation.php
Delete these two lines from __construct():
$this->CI->load->helper('checkbox');
$this->CI->load->helper('email');
Delete all the functions except __construct() and unique().
At the end of the __construct() method of your controller add this line:
$this->load->library('form_validation');
As per the documentation of the unique() method update your validation rule to add a "unique" rule like this (e.g. if you already have required and trim rules):
…|required|unique[tablename.fieldname,tablename.(primaryKey-used-for-updates)]|trim...

Answer 6

Extend Form_validation.php library create class inside of application/libraries file name MY_Form_validation.php
<?php
class MY_Form_validation extends CI_Form_validation{
protected $ci;
public function __construct($config = array()){
parent::__construct($config);
$this->ci =& get_instance();
}
public function is_unique_update($str, $field){
$explode=explode('#', $field);
$field_name=$explode['0'];
$field_id_key=$explode['1'];
$field_id_value=$explode['2'];
sscanf($field_name, '%[^.].%[^.]', $table, $field_name);
if(isset($this->ci->db)){
if($this->ci->db->limit(1)->get_where($table, array($field_name => $str,$field_id_key=>$field_id_value))->num_rows() === 0){
$this->ci->form_validation->set_message('is_unique_update', 'The {field} field must contain a unique value.');
return false;
}
return true;
}
}
}
Now in your controller
$this->form_validation->set_rules('user_name', 'User Name', 'required|trim|xss_clean|is_unique_update[users.user_name#id#'.$id.']');
"#" I used for explode the string
where id is primary key of users table
and $id is the value of id.
Now you can use this is_unique_update validation in any controller.

Answer 7

This question is very old but maybe some new people experience this problem and this is the solution for it.
I bet your are using Modular Extensions (HMVC) and you have created a new library, MY_Form_validation. You did id for callbacks, so you have this line of code on your class in order to use callbacks:
$this->form_validation->CI =& $this;
Well, the solution to this is whenever you want to use "is_unique" you must delete this line of code "$this->form_validation->CI =& $this;" from the class. I have experienced this problem and i fix it this way, it works fine now.
If you realy want to use callbacks "$this->form_validation->CI =& $this;", then do it only on required "methods" / "functions" where you don't want to use is_unique.

Answer 8

This code helpful for unique validation to create and update function...
In controller
Add this form validation code in both create and update function
$this->form_validation->set_rules('order_no', 'Order no', 'required|callback_check_order_no');
Add this call back function in controller
function check_order_no($order_no) {
if($this->input->post('id'))
$id = $this->input->post('id');
else
$id = '';
$result = $this->Data_model->check_unique_order_no($id, $order_no);
if($result == 0)
$response = true;
else {
$this->form_validation->set_message('check_order_no', 'Order no already exist');
$response = false;
}
return $response;
}
In model
function check_unique_order_no($id = '', $order_no) {
$this->db->where('order_no', $order_no);
$this->db->where('status', "A");
if($id) {
$this->db->where_not_in('id', $id);
}
return $this->db->get('delivery_order')->num_rows();
}

Answer 9

I'm using codeigniter3 and it shows me error when I check username on updating the value, is_unique is not designed to work with update scenario
so using #Anthony Mutisya's answer, here is the complete solution
in your controller, add this line while validation username of the current user with the database
$this->form_validation->set_rules('user_name', 'User Name', 'required|trim|xss_clean|edit_unique[users.user_name.'.$id.']');
You can get that $id from your submited form.
Now, add the following function to /system/libraries/Form_Validation.php this file. System folder is present in your root of CodeIgniter3 folder.
/**
* edit_unique // for check on update value
*
* Check if the input value doesn't already exist
* in the specified database field.
*
* #param string $str
* #param string $field
* #return bool
*/
function edit_unique($value, $params) {
$CI =& get_instance();
$CI->load->database();
$CI->form_validation->set_message('edit_unique', "Sorry, that %s is already being used.");
list($table, $field, $current_id) = explode(".", $params);
$query = $CI->db->select()->from($table)->where($field, $value)->limit(1)->get();
if ($query->row() && $query->row()->id != $current_id)
{
return FALSE;
} else {
return TRUE;
}
}
It works perfectly fine in my case

Answer 10

CodeIgniter 4 has already solution for that,
$validation->setRules([
'email' => 'required|valid_email|is_unique[users.email,id,{id}]',
]);
$_POST = [
'id' => 4,
'email' => 'foo#example.com',
];
then the {id} placeholder would be replaced with the number 4, giving this revised rule:
$validation->setRules([
'email' => 'required|valid_email|is_unique[users.email,id,4]',
]);
Official Documentation

Answer 11

we must have to add table name for is_unique
for Exp.
is_unique[users.email]