I followed this example, but I modified it a bit to suit my project
This is what I have:
class AgentFormValidation(object):
def __init__(self, context, request):
self.context = context
self.request = request
def __call__(self, form, value):
number = value['identity_information']['number']
print validateID(number)
type = value['identity_information']['type']
q = sqlahelper.get_session().query(Agents.id_number).filter(Agents.id_number == number).first()
if type == "IDNumber":
if not validateID(number):
if q:
exc = colander.Invalid(form["identity_information"], "ID Number %s already exists in Database" % number)
exc.number = "ID Number already exists "
raise exc
else:
exc = colander.Invalid(form["identity_information"], "ID Number %s is not a valid SA ID Number" % number)
exc.number = "Invalid ID number"
raise exc
elif type == "Passport":
if q:
exc = colander.Invalid(form["identity_information"], "Passport number %s already exists in Database" % number)
exc.number = "Passport number already exists"
raise exc
def gen_agent_schema_form(self):
_but = ('create agent',)
_title = "Create Agent"
if not self.context.__is_new__:
_but = ('update agent',)
_title = "Agent Details"
deals = []
if self.context.ou:
deals = [(deal.id, str(deal)) for deal in self.context.ou[0].org_deals]
schema = Agent(validator=AgentFormValidation(self.context, self.request), title=_title).bind(deals=deals)
form = Form(schema, buttons=_but)
return schema, form
The validation works just fine. It just doesn't want to highlight the element.
When I replace:
exc.number = "ID Number already exists"
with
exc['number'] = "ID Number already exists"
It does highlight, but it Highlights the very first element on the form, which is first_name
, which is also wrong.
I feel like I'm missing something small.
UPDATE
So I played around a little, when I do:
exc = colander.Invalid(form, "ID Number %s already exists in Database" % number)
exc["identity_information"] = "ID Number already exists "
raise exc
I get an alert message box(not js alert) above the correct field:
Instead of this, I need the field to highlight as in the example above.
In your custom validator you always pass the form as the first parameter to colander.Invalid(). This way you add validation messages to the top of the form, but you do not trigger highlighting of schema nodes / elements. Start using simple validators working on a single schema node/element.
Anyway, I don't see a clear requirement for inter-field validation. Instead of applying a complex class-based validator on the Agent Schema you could use available colander validators or create custom validators on each Agent Schema node, thus keeping validators as simple as possible. Your current validator implementation cares about too much for too many use cases.
I assumed you have two different use cases - registration and some another agent-related task. By inventing different schemas I can keep validation specific to schema nodes and use case. Uniqueness of ID may only be important while creating stuff with an add/create form, in an update form users may not able to change all these values but a limited set of personal information.
Main idea is usally apply schema node validators to get validation messages at schema nodes. In special cases apply form level validators (agent registration).
Your use case illustrates the domain of form validation. A class that validates form inputs against schemas and handles persistence-related topics (primary key uniqueness) is doing too much. Both should be encapsulated to evolve separately. Your business rules will change in time, the database table will always require uniqueness for primary keys.
Schemas
Schema Validators
Form
References
Besides that you may be interested in ColanderAlchemy, but it adds another level of abstraction. Actually, I do not recommend it to you.