repo_zf1/documentation/manual/en/tutorials/quickstart-create-form.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!-- Reviewed: no -->
<sect1 id="learning.quickstart.create-form">
    <title>Create A Form</title>

    <para>
        For our guestbook to be useful, we need a form for submitting new entries.
    </para>

    <para>
        Our first order of business is to create the actual form class. First, create the directory
        <filename>application/forms/</filename>. This directory will contain form classes for the
        application. Next, we'll create a form class in
        <filename>application/forms/Guestbook.php</filename>:
    </para>

    <programlisting language="php"><![CDATA[
// application/forms/Guestbook.php

class Default_Form_Guestbook extends Zend_Form
{
    public function init()
    {
        // Set the method for the display form to POST
        $this->setMethod('post');

        // Add an email element
        $this->addElement('text', 'email', array(
            'label'      => 'Your email address:',
            'required'   => true,
            'filters'    => array('StringTrim'),
            'validators' => array(
                'EmailAddress',
            )
        ));

        // Add the comment element
        $this->addElement('textarea', 'comment', array(
            'label'      => 'Please Comment:',
            'required'   => true,
            'validators' => array(
                array('validator' => 'StringLength', 'options' => array(0, 20))
                )
        ));

        // Add a captcha
        $this->addElement('captcha', 'captcha', array(
            'label'      => 'Please enter the 5 letters displayed below:',
            'required'   => true,
            'captcha'    => array(
                'captcha' => 'Figlet',
                'wordLen' => 5,
                'timeout' => 300
            )
        ));

        // Add the submit button
        $this->addElement('submit', 'submit', array(
            'ignore'   => true,
            'label'    => 'Sign Guestbook',
        ));

        // And finally add some CSRF protection
        $this->addElement('hash', 'csrf', array(
            'ignore' => true,
        ));
    }
}
]]></programlisting>

    <para>
        The above form defines five elements: an email address field, a comment field, a
        <acronym>CAPTCHA</acronym> for preventing spam submissions, a submit button, and a
        <acronym>CSRF</acronym> protection token.
    </para>

    <para>
        Next, we will add a <methodname>signAction()</methodname> to our
        <classname>GuestbookController</classname> which will process the form upon submission. To
        create the action and related view script, execute the following:
    </para>

    <programlisting language="shell"><![CDATA[
# Unix-like systems:
% zf.sh create action sign guestbook

# DOS/Windows:
C:> zf.bat create action sign guestbook
]]></programlisting>

    <para>
        This will create a <methodname>signAction()</methodname> method in our controller, as well
        as the appropriate view script.
    </para>

    <para>
        Let's add some logic into our guestbook controller's sign action. We need to first check if
        we're getting a <acronym>POST</acronym> or a <acronym>GET</acronym> request; in the latter
        case, we'll simply display the form. However, if we get a <acronym>POST</acronym> request,
        we'll want to validate the posted data against our form, and, if valid, create a new entry
        and save it. The logic might look like this:
    </para>

    <programlisting language="php"><![CDATA[
// application/controllers/GuestbookController.php

class GuestbookController extends Zend_Controller_Action
{
    // snipping indexAction()...

    public function signAction()
    {
        $request = $this->getRequest();
        $form    = new Default_Form_Guestbook();

        if ($this->getRequest()->isPost()) {
            if ($form->isValid($request->getPost())) {
                $model = new Default_Model_Guestbook($form->getValues());
                $model->save();
                return $this->_helper->redirector('index');
            }
        }

        $this->view->form = $form;
    }
}
]]></programlisting>

    <para>
        Of course, we also need to edit the view script; edit
        <filename>application/views/scripts/guestbook/sign.phtml</filename> to read:
    </para>

    <programlisting language="php"><![CDATA[
<!-- application/views/scripts/guestbook/sign.phtml -->

Please use the form below to sign our guestbook!

<?php
$this->form->setAction($this->url());
echo $this->form;
]]></programlisting>

    <note>
        <title>Better Looking Forms</title>

        <para>
            No one will be waxing poetic about the beauty of this form anytime soon. No matter -
            form appearance is fully customizable! See the <link
                linkend="zend.form.decorators">decorators section in the reference guide</link>
            for details.
        </para>

        <para>
            Additionally, you may be interested in <ulink
                url="http://weierophinney.net/matthew/plugin/tag/decorators">this series of posts on
                decorators</ulink>.
        </para>
    </note>

    <note>
        <title>Checkpoint</title>

        <para>
            Now browse to "http://localhost/guestbook/sign". You should see the following in your
            browser:
        </para>

        <para>
            <inlinegraphic width="421" scale="100" align="center" valign="middle"
                fileref="figures/learning.quickstart.create-form.png" format="PNG" />
        </para>
    </note>
</sect1>