Re: [dfv] Enterprise implementation of dynamic error messages

[Mark S. <ma...@su...>]

> I understand that dynamic error messages can be implemented by passing a
> coderef to the msgs hash instead of a hashref with the standard error
> messages. In fact, I've done a quick, simple implementation to get a feel
> for how the functionality works. It works great for a one-off, but I'm
> looking for a way to work that functionality into our enterprise (perl) web
> application architecture.
> 
> Currently, our applications provide a validator profile and the hashref of
> error messages and the framework takes care of all the processing and error
> formatting and display. What I'm looking for is a way to allow developers of
> new applications to have their constraints generate dynamic error messages.
> The most common need would be something like a max_length constraint that
> should be able to indicate what the actual max_length argument passed to it
> was so instead of an error like "too long" it should say "can be no more
> than 15 characters".
> 
> Does anyone have any suggestions of how to start on implementing this with
> DFV? I've spent a couple of hours thinking about it and looking through the
> code in DFV and DFV::Results and I the ideas I've had thus far are rather
> involved and include sub-classing both of those classes and rewriting a good
> bit of code.

Andrew,

It sounds you want error messages that are field-based, or least have the
option to me of the default constraint error isn't specific enough.

Here are some ideas:

- I believe for each field you can see which constraint it failed. I expect in
  the custom 'msgs' code you can analyze this and add specific error messages
  then (if not in the profile). Some people do this in their templates.

- You might also look at Data::Form::Elements 
  http://search.cpan.org/~plural/Data-Form-Elements-0.61/

  It provides an alternate, field-based API to DFV, allowing you to declare a
  custom error message for a field up front. I haven't used it myself nor heard
  much feedback on it, but it seems like it may be helpful to you.

    Mark

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   Mark Stosberg            Principal Developer  
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