[Draft] fix: Validation passes if key does not exist when using asterisk.

[ping-yee]

Description
See #8006
But This PR still is draft, I need to discussion and find out how to fix this problem.

Checklist:

• Securely signed commits
• Component(s) with PHPDoc blocks, only if necessary or adds value
• Unit testing, with >80% coverage
• User guide updated
• Conforms to style guide

[ping-yee]

@kenjis Do you have any idea about this problem?
I write what I thought in the comment out of the commit.

[kenjis]

The following tests show the current behaviors for single field.
I think devs expect the same behaviors for multiple fields.

    public function testRunRequiredSingleFieldEmptyData(): void
    {
        $config     = new ValidationConfig();
        $validation = new Validation($config, Services::renderer());

        $validation->setRules([
            'name' => 'required',
        ]);

        $data   = [];
        $result = $validation->run($data);

        $this->assertFalse($result);

        $errors = $validation->getErrors();

        $this->assertSame($errors, ['name' => 'The name field is required.']);
    }

    public function testRunAlphaSingleFieldEmptyData(): void
    {
        $config     = new ValidationConfig();
        $validation = new Validation($config, Services::renderer());

        $validation->setRules([
            'name' => 'alpha',
        ]);

        $data   = [];
        $result = $validation->run($data);

        $this->assertFalse($result);

        $errors = $validation->getErrors();

        $this->assertSame(
            $errors,
            ['name' => 'The name field may only contain alphabetical characters.']
        );
    }

[kenjis]

Therefore, if the following data comes,

        $data = [
            'contacts' => [
                'friends' => [
                    ['name' => 'Fred Flinstone', 'age' => 20],
                    ['age' => 21], // 'name' key does not exist
                ]
            ]
        ];

it seems we need to change it to:

        $data = [
            'contacts' => [
                'friends' => [
                    ['name' => 'Fred Flinstone', 'age' => 20],
                    [
                        'name' => null, // add 'name' key
                        'age'  => 21,
                    ],
                ],
            ],
        ];

[ping-yee]

There are some problem I should figure out first:

1. So should we pre-process the data first and fill in non-existent fields until they are aligned?
2. Is this above process also work in other rules? or does it only work in required rule scenario?

[kenjis]

https://codeigniter4.github.io/CodeIgniter4/libraries/validation.html#setting-rules-for-array-data
I was thinking, if we are validating against an array, the data to be validated must be in the same format.
In the above example, all elements should have a 'name' key, and data without it should cause a validation error.
So I think it is necessary to first check if the keys are present in all elements.

I sent a PR #8123 that is related to this topic.

[kenjis]

https://codeigniter4.github.io/CodeIgniter4/libraries/validation.html#setting-rules-for-array-data

/*
 * The data to test:
 * [
 *     'contacts' => [
 *        'name' => 'Joe Smith',
 *         'friends' => [
 *             [
 *                 'name' => 'Fred Flinstone',
 *             ],
 *             [
 *                 'name' => 'Wilma',
 *             ],
 *         ]
 *     ]
 * ]
 */

// Fred Flintsone & Wilma
$validation->setRules([
    'contacts.*.name' => 'required|max_length[60]',
]);

The contacts.name does not have name. So the example should raise the validation error?

Validation using wildcards (*) may be unclear or inconsistent with the specification.

[ping-yee]

I was thinking, if we are validating against an array, the data to be validated must be in the same format.
So I think it is necessary to first check if the keys are present in all elements.

I am agree with this, the before check is neccessary.
Weather this issue can be solved after adding the before check?

[ping-yee]

Validation using wildcards (*) may be unclear or inconsistent with the specification.

Yes, I also agree with this. The caption of user guide make me so confused. 😖
But it seems it will be accepted no matter how many layer it is.

public function index(): string
    {
        // Extend the user guide case and add one more layer.
        $requestData = [
            'contacts' => [
                'name' => 'Joe Smith',
                'just' => [
                    'friends' => [
                        [
                            'name' => 'Fred Flinstone',
                        ],
                        [
                            'name' => 'Wilma',
                        ],
                    ]
                ]
            ]
        ];


        $this->validator = \Config\Services::validation();
        $this->validator->setRules([
            'contacts.*.name' => 'required|max_length[60]',
        ]);


        dd($this->validator->run($requestData), $this->validator->getErrors());
    }

Output

$values array (2)
contacts.just.friends.0.name => string (14) "Fred Flinstone"
contacts.just.friends.1.name => string (5) "Wilma"

[kenjis]

    public function index(): string
    {
        // Extend the user guide case and add one more layer.
        $requestData = [
            'contacts' => [
                'name' => 'Joe Smith',
                'just' => [
                    'friends' => [
                        [
                            'name' => 'Fred Flinstone',
                        ],
                        [
                            'name' => 'Wilma',
                        ],
                    ],
                ],
            ],
        ];

        $this->validator = \Config\Services::validation();
        $this->validator->setRules([
            'contacts.*.name' => 'required|max_length[60]',
        ]);

        dd(
            $this->validator->run($requestData),
            $this->validator->getErrors(),
            $this->validator->getValidated()
        );
    }

$this->validator->run(...) boolean true
$this->validator->getErrors() array (0)
$this->validator->getValidated() array (0)
⧉ Called from .../app/Controllers/Home.php:34 [dd()]

[kenjis]

    public function index(): string
    {
        // Extend the user guide case and add one more layer.
        $requestData = [
            'contacts' => [
                'name' => 'Joe Smith',
                'just' => [
                    'friends' => [
                        [
                            'name' => 'Fred Flinstone',
                        ],
                        [
                            'name' => 'Wilma',
                        ],
                    ],
                ],
            ],
        ];

        $this->validator = \Config\Services::validation();
        $this->validator->setRules([
            'contacts.*.name' => 'required|max_length[1]',
        ]);

        dd(
            $this->validator->run($requestData),
            $this->validator->getErrors(),
            $this->validator->getValidated()
        );
    }

$this->validator->run(...) boolean false
⧉⌕$this->validator->getErrors() array (2)
    ⇄contacts.just.friends.0.name => string (63) "The contacts.*.name field cannot exceed 1 characters in length."
    ⇄contacts.just.friends.1.name => string (63) "The contacts.*.name field cannot exceed 1 characters in length."
$this->validator->getValidated() array (0)
⧉ Called from .../app/Controllers/Home.php:34 [dd()]

[kenjis]

But it seems it will be accepted no matter how many layer it is.

That seems to be a bug.
First of all, the key in the user guide should be contacts.friends.*.name.

[kenjis]

This looks good.

    public function index(): string
    {
        $requestData = [
            'contacts' => [
                'name'    => 'Joe Smith',
                'friends' => [
                    [
                        'name' => 'Fred Flinstone',
                    ],
                    [
                        'name' => 'Wilma',
                    ],
                ],
            ],
        ];

        $this->validator = \Config\Services::validation();
        $this->validator->setRules([
            'contacts.friends.*.name' => 'required|max_length[60]',
        ]);

        dd(
            $this->validator->run($requestData),
            $this->validator->getErrors(),
            $this->validator->getValidated()
        );
    }

$this->validator->run(...) boolean true
$this->validator->getErrors() array (0)
⧉⌕$this->validator->getValidated() array (1)
    ⇄⧉contacts => array (1)
        ⇄⧉friends => array (2)
            ⇄⧉0 => array (1
                ⇄name => string (14) "Fred Flinstone"
            ⇄⧉1 => array (1)
                ⇄name => string (5) "Wilma"
⧉ Called from .../app/Controllers/Home.php:31 [dd()]

[kenjis]

The second example in https://codeigniter4.github.io/CodeIgniter4/libraries/validation.html#setting-rules-for-array-data
Is this also just a mistake? I think we cannot get two values "Fred Flintsone & Wilma" without *.

        $this->validator->setRules([
            'contacts.friends.name' => 'required|max_length[60]',
        ]);

$this->validator->run(...) boolean false
⧉⌕$this->validator->getErrors() array (1)
    ⇄contacts.friends.name => string (44) "The contacts.friends.name field is required."
$this->validator->getValidated() array (0)
⧉ Called from .../app/Controllers/Home.php:31 [dd()]

[ping-yee]

Is this also just a mistake? I think we cannot get two values "Fred Flintsone & Wilma" without *.

I think so.. and it should be like this:

public function index(): string
    {
        $requestData = [
            'contacts' => [
                'name'    => 'Joe Smith',
                'friends' => [
                    'name' => 'Fred Flinstone',
                ],
            ],
        ];

        $this->validator = \Config\Services::validation();
        $this->validator->setRules([
            'contacts.friends.name' => 'required|max_length[60]',
        ]);

        dd(
            $this->validator->run($requestData),
            $this->validator->getErrors(),
            $this->validator->getValidated()
        );
    }

$this->validator->run(...) boolean true
$this->validator->getErrors() array (0)
⧉⌕$this->validator->getValidated() array (1)
⇄⧉contacts => array (1)
⇄⧉friends => array (1)
⇄name => string (14) "Fred Flinstone"

[kenjis]

I created issue #8128

[ping-yee]

Is there any thing that I need to do for this PR? @kenjis

[kenjis]

This bug has not yet been fixed, but this PR should be closed at once.

After #8128 and #8123 are completed, we can discuss again how to fix it.

[ping-yee]

Okay and thanks!

[kenjis]

Your comment #8079 (comment) was very helpful!

[kenjis]

I send PR #8131 to add method to check array key with dot array syntax.