codeigniter, form validation false verse first time visit - forms

Question

In Codeigniter, the following code is typically used for a page that has a form. But the first time a user lands on the page and a form validation fails gets routed through the same path.
As this example shows, the flash data will trigger. even if the user just land on the page and have not submit any form yet.
I am trying to echo a new class name to some input field to highlight them if validation fails. but currently it highlights the field on first load as well.
I am aware I can echo a validation_error or form_error. is there a way to echo a generic message that is not tied to a field-name and only after submission fails
// rules and other stuff above
if ($this->form_validation->run() == FALSE){
$this->session->set_flashdata('errorClass',"is-invalid");
$this->load->view('defaultOrFalse');
}else{
$this->load->view('success');
}
//view file
<input class=" <?php $this->session->flashdata('errorClass') ; ?>">
Basically I am trying to get bootstrap 4's input validation to show up
https://getbootstrap.com/docs/4.0/components/forms/#server-side

Answer 1

I don't know your exact setup but you can do logic like the following:
<?php
class Some_controller extends CI_Controller {
// controller/search/{$term}
public function some_method($term = null) {
// where some_field is some field in your form
// that gets posted on submit
if ($this->input->post('some_field')) {
// or if (isset($_POST)) {
if ($this->form_validation->run() == FALSE) {
$this->session->set_flashdata('errorClass', "is-invalid");
$this->load->view('defaultOrFalse');
} else {
$this->load->view('success');
}
} else {
// default view
}
}
}
?>
For your second question:
<h5>Username</h5>
<?php echo form_error('username'); ?>
<input type="text" name="username" value="<?php echo set_value('username'); ?>" size="50" <?php if (!empty(form_error('username'))) { echo "class='error'"; } ?> />
Can also make a helper and use instead of form_error to check if field has error for your class (haven't verified this works but it should).
/**
* Checks if form validation field by name
* has error
*
* #param string $field Name of field
* #return boolean
*/
function field_has_error($field) {
$CI = &get_instance();
$CI->load->library('form_validation');
$arr = $CI->form_validation->error_array();
if (isset($arr[$field])) {
return true;
}
return false;
}
Usage:
<?php if (field_has_error('username')) { echo "class='error'"; } ?> />