Question 281449 in Laravel Question posted in
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Laravel 10 – validation rule "string or array"

I need to add validation for a dynamic array whose elements can be strings or subsequent arrays containing strings, but I can’t find a way to save this rule.

My current validation:

        $data = $request->validate([
            'answers' => ['required', 'array'],
            'answers.*' => ['required', 'max:255'],
            'answers.*.*' => ['nullable', 'string', 'max:255']
        ]);

Sample input:

  "answers" => array:3 [▼
    4 => array:1 [▼
      0 => "Tests"
      1 => "Tests 2"
    ]
    5 => "Test"
    6 => "Yes"
  ]
Tags:

3

Answers


  1. 0

    Create custom rule class. For ex: NestedArrayWithStrings

    then check:

    if (is_array($item))

    in a for loop etc.

    add to validation like this:

    'answers' => ['required', 'array', new NestedArrayWithStrings],
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  2. 0

    You would need to define a custom rule in Laravel for this.

    • Run the command php artisan make:rule NestedArrayWithStrings and this will create a new file in AppRules directory.

    • To add this rule, first import the rule class namespace in your controller.

      use AppRulesNestedArrayWithStrings;

    • Now, use it in your validator as:

    $v = Validator::make($request->all(),[
        'answers' => [
            'required',
            'array',
            new NestedArrayWithStrings
        ]
    ]);

if($v->fails()){
    echo $v->errors()->first(); // or similar
}

    Below will be your recursive code to judge the values and if it passes:

    <?php

namespace AppRules;

use IlluminateContractsValidationRule;

class NestedArrayWithStrings implements Rule{
    /**
     * Determine if the validation rule passes.
     *
     * @param  string  $attribute
     * @param  mixed  $value
     * @return bool
     */
    public function passes($attribute, $value){
        if(!is_array($value)) return false;
        foreach($value as $v){
            if(is_array($v)){
               if(!$this->passes($attribute, $v)){
                 return false;
               }
            }else if(!is_string($v)){
                return false;
            }
        }

        return true;
    }

    /**
     * Get the validation error message.
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function message(){
        return 'Answers can only contain arrays filled with strings.';
    }
}

    Note: Technically, everything given from the frontend will come as a string, so you will need to add additional checks along with is_string to filter out the kind of data you wish to have.

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  3. 0

    So, I created something that might solve your problem, I’ve tried it and works.

    First you might want to create a new Rule class, as I commented in your question, maybe using artisan command php artisan make:rule DynamicArray for example to give it a name.

    You’ll need to do something like this inside app/Rules/DynamicArray:

    public function validate(string $attribute, mixed $value, Closure $fail): void
{
    $this->checkArray($attribute, $value, $fail);
}

private function checkArray(string $attribute, mixed $value, Closure $fail): void
{
    if(!is_array($value)){
        $fail("The $attribute must be an array.");
        return;
    }

    foreach ($value as $element){
        if (is_array($element)) {
            $this->checkArray($attribute, $element, $fail);
        } else if (!is_string($element)) {
            $fail("The $attribute is invalid.");
            return;
        }
    }
}

    then in your controller you’ll end with this:

        $data = $request->validate([
        'answers' => ['required', 'array', new DynamicArray]
    ]);

    dd($data);

    you might debug $data to check if it’s working:

        dd($data);

    It will pass the valildation:

    validation pass

    Hope that solve your problem!

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