Welcome to The Cookbook

The data for the field must only contain letters and numbers.

var $validate = array(
    'login' => array(
        'rule' => 'alphaNumeric',
        'message' => 'Usernames must only contain letters and numbers.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'login' => array(
3. 'rule' => 'alphaNumeric',
4. 'message' => 'Usernames must only contain letters and numbers.'
5. )
6. );

The length of the data for the field must fall within the specified numeric range. Both minimum and maximum values must be supplied.

var $validate = array(
    'password' => array(
        'rule' => array('between', 5, 15),
        'message' => 'Passwords must be between 5 and 15 characters long.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'password' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('between', 5, 15),
4. 'message' => 'Passwords must be between 5 and 15 characters long.'
5. )
6. );

This rule is used to make sure that the field is left blank or only white space characters are present in its value. White space characters include space, tab, carriage return, and newline.

var $validate = array(
    'id' => array(
        'rule' => 'blank',
        'on' => 'create'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'id' => array(
3. 'rule' => 'blank',
4. 'on' => 'create'
5. )
6. );

This rule is used to check whether the data is a valid credit card number. It takes three parameters: ‘type’, ‘deep’ and ‘regex’.

The ‘type’ key can be assigned to the values of ‘fast’, ‘all’ or any of the following:

• bankcard
• diners
• disc
• electron
• enroute
• jcb
• maestro
• mc
• solo
• switch
• visa
• voyager

If ‘type’ is set to ‘fast’, it validates the data against the major credit cards’ numbering formats. Setting ‘type’ to ‘all’ will check with all the credit card types. You can also set ‘type’ to an array of the types you wish to match.

The ‘deep’ key should be set to a boolean value. If it is set to true, the validation will check the Luhn algorithm of the credit card (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luhn_algorithm). It defaults to false.

The ‘regex’ key allows you to supply your own regular expression that will be used to validate the credit card number.

var $validate = array(
    'ccnumber' => array(
        'rule' => array('cc', array('visa', 'maestro'), false, null),
        'message' => 'The credit card number you supplied was invalid.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'ccnumber' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('cc', array('visa', 'maestro'), false, null),
4. 'message' => 'The credit card number you supplied was invalid.'
5. )
6. );

Comparison is used to compare numeric values. It supports “is greater”, “is less”, “greater or equal”, “less or equal”, “is less”, “equal to”, and “not equal”. Some examples are shown below:

var $validate = array(
    'age' => array(
        'rule' => array('comparison', '>=', 18),
        'message' => 'Must be at least 18 years old to qualify.'
    )
);

var $validate = array(
    'age' => array(
        'rule' => array('comparison', 'greater or equal', 18),
        'message' => 'Must be at least 18 years old to qualify.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'age' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('comparison', '>=', 18),
4. 'message' => 'Must be at least 18 years old to qualify.'
5. )
6. );
7. var $validate = array(
8. 'age' => array(
9. 'rule' => array('comparison', 'greater or equal', 18),
10. 'message' => 'Must be at least 18 years old to qualify.'
11. )
12. );

This rule ensures that data is submitted in valid date formats. A single parameter (which can be an array) can be passed that will be used to check the format of the supplied date. The value of the parameter can be one of the following:

• ‘dmy’ e.g. 27-12-2006 or 27-12-06 (separators can be a space, period, dash, forward slash)
• ‘mdy’ e.g. 12-27-2006 or 12-27-06 (separators can be a space, period, dash, forward slash)
• ‘ymd’ e.g. 2006-12-27 or 06-12-27 (separators can be a space, period, dash, forward slash)
• ‘dMy’ e.g. 27 December 2006 or 27 Dec 2006
• ‘Mdy’ e.g. December 27, 2006 or Dec 27, 2006 (comma is optional)
• ‘My’ e.g. (December 2006 or Dec 2006)
• ‘my’ e.g. 12/2006 or 12/06 (separators can be a space, period, dash, forward slash)

If no keys are supplied, the default key that will be used is ‘ymd’.

var $validate = array(
    'born' => array(
        'rule' => 'date',
        'message' => 'Enter a valid date in YY-MM-DD format.',
        'allowEmpty' => true
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'born' => array(
3. 'rule' => 'date',
4. 'message' => 'Enter a valid date in YY-MM-DD format.',
5. 'allowEmpty' => true
6. )
7. );

While many data stores require a certain date format, you might consider doing the heavy lifting by accepting a wide-array of date formats and trying to convert them, rather than forcing users to supply a given format. The more work you can do for your users, the better.

This rule ensures that the data is a valid decimal number. A parameter can be passed to specify the number of digits required after the decimal point. If no parameter is passed, the data will be validated as a scientific float, which will cause validation to fail if no digits are found after the decimal point.

var $validate = array(
    'price' => array(
        'rule' => array('decimal', 2)
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'price' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('decimal', 2)
4. )
5. );

This checks whether the data is a valid email address. Passing a boolean true as the second parameter for this rule will also attempt to verify the host for the addresses mail server.

var $validate = array('email' => array('rule' => 'email'));
 
var $validate = array(
    'email' => array(
        'rule' => array('email', true),
        'message' => 'Please supply a valid email address.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array('email' => array('rule' => 'email'));
3. var $validate = array(
4. 'email' => array(
5. 'rule' => array('email', true),
6. 'message' => 'Please supply a valid email address.'
7. )
8. );

This rule will ensure that the value is equal to, and of the same type as the given value.

var $validate = array(
    'food' => array(
        'rule' => array('equalTo', 'cake'),  
        'message' => 'This value must be the string cake'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'food' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('equalTo', 'cake'),
4. 'message' => 'This value must be the string cake'
5. )
6. );

This rule checks for valid file extensions like .jpg or .png. Allow multiple extensions by passing them in array form.

var $validate = array(
    'image' => array(
        'rule' => array('extension', array('gif', 'jpeg', 'png', 'jpg'),
        'message' => 'Please supply a valid image.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'image' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('extension', array('gif', 'jpeg', 'png', 'jpg'),
4. 'message' => 'Please supply a valid image.'
5. )
6. );

This section has yet to be written, if you have an idea of what to put here please use the links and let us know your suggestion!

This rule will ensure that a valid IPv4 address has been submitted.

var $validate = array(
    'clientip' => array(
        'rule' => 'ip',
        'message' => 'Please supply a valid IP address.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'clientip' => array(
3. 'rule' => 'ip',
4. 'message' => 'Please supply a valid IP address.'
5. )
6. );

The data for the field must be unique, it cannot be used by any other rows.

var $validate = array(
    'login' => array(
        'rule' => 'isUnique',
        'message' => 'This username has already been taken.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'login' => array(
3. 'rule' => 'isUnique',
4. 'message' => 'This username has already been taken.'
5. )
6. );

This rule ensures that the data meets a minimum length requirement.

var $validate = array(
    'login' => array(
        'rule' => array('minLength', '8'),  
        'message' => 'Usernames must be at least 8 characters long.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'login' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('minLength', '8'),
4. 'message' => 'Usernames must be at least 8 characters long.'
5. )
6. );

This rule ensures that the data stays within a maximum length requirement.

var $validate = array(
    'login' => array(
        'rule' => array('maxLength', '15'),  
        'message' => 'Usernames must be no larger than 15 characters long.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'login' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('maxLength', '15'),
4. 'message' => 'Usernames must be no larger than 15 characters long.'
5. )
6. );

This rule will ensure that the value is in a valid monetary amount.

Second parameter defines where symbol is located (left/right).

var $validate = array(
    'salary' => array(
        'rule' => array('money', 'left'),
        'message' => 'Please supply a valid monetary amount.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'salary' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('money', 'left'),
4. 'message' => 'Please supply a valid monetary amount.'
5. )
6. );

This rule will ensure that the value is in a given set. It needs an array of values. The field is valid if the field's value matches one of the values in the given array.

	var $validate = array(
	  'function' => array(
	  	'allowedChoice' => array(
	  		'rule' => array('inList', array('Foo', 'Bar')),
	  		'message' => 'Enter either Foo or Bar.'
	  	)
	  )
	);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'function' => array(
3. 'allowedChoice' => array(
4. 'rule' => array('inList', array('Foo', 'Bar')),
5. 'message' => 'Enter either Foo or Bar.'
6. )
7. )
8. );

Checks if the data passed is a valid number.

var $validate = array(
    'cars' => array(
        'rule' => 'numeric',  
        'message' => 'Please supply the number of cars.'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'cars' => array(
3. 'rule' => 'numeric',
4. 'message' => 'Please supply the number of cars.'
5. )
6. );

The basic rule to ensure that a field is not empty.

var $validate = array(
    'title' => array( 
        'rule' => 'notEmpty',
        'message' => 'This field cannot be left blank'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'title' => array(
3. 'rule' => 'notEmpty',
4. 'message' => 'This field cannot be left blank'
5. )
6. );

Phone validates US phone numbers. If you want to validate non-US phone numbers, you can provide a regular expression as the second parameter to cover additional number formats.

var $validate = array(
    'phone' => array(
        'rule' => array('phone', null, 'us')
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'phone' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('phone', null, 'us')
4. )
5. );

Postal is used to validate ZIP codes from the U.S. (us), Canada (ca), U.K (uk), Italy (it), Germany (de) and Belgium (be). For other ZIP code formats, you may provide a regular expression as the second parameter.

var $validate = array(
    'zipcode' => array(
        'rule' => array('postal', null, 'us')
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'zipcode' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('postal', null, 'us')
4. )
5. );

This rule ensures that the value is in a given range. If no range is supplied, the rule will check to ensure the value is a legal finite on the current platform.

var $validate = array(
    'number' => array(
        'rule' => array('range', 0, 10),
        'message' => 'Please enter a number between 0 and 10'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'number' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('range', 0, 10),
4. 'message' => 'Please enter a number between 0 and 10'
5. )
6. );

The above example will accept any value which is larger than 0 (e.g., 0.01) and less than 10 (e.g., 9.99).

Ssn validates social security numbers from the U.S. (us), Denmark (dk), and the Netherlands (nl). For other social security number formats, you may provide a regular expression.

var $validate = array(
    'ssn' => array(
        'rule' => array('ssn', null, 'us')
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'ssn' => array(
3. 'rule' => array('ssn', null, 'us')
4. )
5. );

This rule checks for valid URL formats. Supports http(s), ftp(s), file, news, and gopher protocols.

var $validate = array(
    'website' => array(
        'rule' => 'url'
    )
);

1. var $validate = array(
2. 'website' => array(
3. 'rule' => 'url'
4. )
5. );