ZendFramework: Changing a form element after failed validation - forms

Question

So I have a form set up in the following manner:
In my forms directory:
Address.php
class Address extends Zend_Form{
// Creates an address input box including address/country/state/zip
// The states is created as a drop down menu
public function init() {
// relevant code to question
$this->addElements(array(
array('select', $names['state'], array(
'label' => "State",
'class' => 'state',
'multiOptions' => array('' => '') + AddressHelper::stateList(),
'required' => $this->_required,
)),
));
}
}
MyForm.php:
class MyForm extends Zend_Form {
public function init() {
//set-up some general form info
// this is the relevant part for my question
// $opt is a predefined variable
$this->addSubForms(array(
'info' => new SubForm($opts),
'mailing' => new Address($opts + array(
'legend' => 'Address',
'isArray' => false,
'required' => true,
)),
));
}
}
Survey.php
class Survey extends MyForm{
// initialize parent (MyForm) and add additional info for the Survey form
}
Okay, so when survey is submitted, if it fails validation, I need to change the Address state element from a select to an input type=text.
So in my controller, under the action that checks for validation I have the following:
public function createAction(){
if ($this->_form->isValid($post)) {
$this->_saveDraft($post, $this->_submissionType);
$this->addSessionMessage('Submission created!');
return $this->redirector->gotoRouteAndExit(array(), 'home', true);
}else{
/* IMPORTANT */
// I need to change the Address select field to a text field here!
$errors[] = 'There was a problem';
$this->view->assign(compact('form', 'errors', 'submission'));
$this->_viewRenderer->renderScript('update.phtml');
}
}
So, would I just create a method in the Address class and somehow call it to swap out. I'm just not sure how to go about this.

Answer 1

You would be looking at using removeElement() to remove the select element, and then addElement() to replace it with the text only version.
The problem you are going to have is that when the validation fails, the select element is changed to a text element and the form is re-displayed. Now, upon resubmission, you need to make the change again prior to calling isValid() because the form uses text input for state instead of select. So you need to make the change twice. Once after failed validation prior to re-displaying the form, and once prior to calling isValid(), but only if there was a previously failed submission.
Now why is it that if the form fails validation, you want the select element for state to be text? Can't it work just the same with a select element and you just pre-select the correct state for them?
EDIT:
You use the form object to call add/removeElement.
$removed = $form->getSubForm('mailing')->removeElement('state_select');
$form->getSubForm('mailing')->addElement($text_state_element);
That call should work to remove an element from a subform.
Without subforms, it is just:
$form->removeElement('username');
$form->addElement($someNewElement);
You can use getElement() in a similar way if you need to get an element from a form to make changes (e.g. remove/add validators, change description, set values)
$el = $form->getElement('username');
$el->addValidator($something)
->setLabel('Username:');
Hope that helps.