Form_validation errors into array

Question

I have a code for form validating in my CodeIgniter app:

$this->load->library('form_validation');

$this->form_validation->set_rules('message', 'Message', 'trim|xss_clean|required');
$this->form_validation->set_rules('email', 'Email', 'trim|valid_email|required');

if($this->form_validation->run() == FALSE)
{
    // some errors
}
else
{
    // do smth
    $response = array(
        'message' => "It works!"
    );
    echo json_encode($response);
}

The form is AJAX-based, so frontend have to receive a JSON array with form errors, for example:

array (
  'email' => 'Bad email!',
  'password' => '6 symbols only!',
)

How to get such list or array with form validation errors in CodeIgniter?

Answer 1

application/libraries/MY_Form_validation.php

<?php
class MY_Form_validation extends CI_Form_validation
{
  function __construct($config = array())
  {
    parent::__construct($config);
  }

  function error_array()
  {
    if (count($this->_error_array) === 0)
      return FALSE;
    else
      return $this->_error_array;
  }
}

Then you could try the following from your controller:

$errors = $this->form_validation->error_array();

Reference: validation_errors as an array

Answer 2

You just echo validation_errors() from your controller.

have your javascript place it in your view.

PHP

// controller code
if ($this->form_validation->run() === TRUE)
{
    //save stuff
}
else
{
    echo validation_errors();
}

Javascript

// jquery
$.post(<?php site_url('controller/method')?>, function(data) {
  $('.errors').html(data);
});

If you really want to use JSON, jquery automatically parses JSON. You can loop through it and append into your html.

---

in case you need validation errors as array you can append this function to the form_helper.php

if (!function_exists('validation_errors_array')) {

   function validation_errors_array($prefix = '', $suffix = '') {
      if (FALSE === ($OBJ = & _get_validation_object())) {
        return '';
      }

      return $OBJ->error_array($prefix, $suffix);
   }
}

Answer 3

If you prefer a library method, you can extend the Form_validation class instead.

class MY_Form_validation extends CI_Form_validation {

    public function error_array() {
        return $this->_error_array;
    }

}

and subsequently call it in your controller/method.

$errors = $this->form_validation->error_array();

Answer 4

Using the latest version of codeigniter:

print_r($this->form_validation->error_array());

returns:

array("field"=>"message","field2"=>"message2");