[TYPO3-dev] extbase/fluid: validating and manipulating data before saving?

[Michael Sauter]

On 12.05.10 09:50, Sven Kalbhenn wrote:
> Hi guys!
>
> I'm writing a new extension for "plane-reservations" with extbase and fluid.
> For the reservation, I need a frontend-form with a date- and time-field.
> If I understand everything right, I have to write a new ViewHelper for rendering the form.
> OK, but where is the correct place for the validation and transforming the posted values into a DateTime-Object?
>
> If I send the date as a string, I always get the error:
> "Tx_Planereservation_Domain_Model_Reservation::setStart() must be an instance of DateTime, string given in .../typo3conf/ext/planereservation/Classes/Domain/Model/Reservation.php"
>
> I think the setter-method of the model is the wrong place - because the persistent-manager will use this method as well.
> So, is the controller the correct place??? Or is there a mechanism - like the ViewHelpers - to validate and manipulate the data before saving it?
>
> Can someone explain it to me? Or is there a documentation for such problems?
>
> CU...Sven Kalbhenn

Hey,

First off: I think the typo3v4mvc mailinglist would be better to ask 
this question, as there are more extbase developers there (I guess).

Anyway, here's what I would do:
Add an additional setter/getter to your model, which deals with the 
string version of the DateTime. Use this "string version" getter in the 
fluid form.

The setter sets the DateTime object property of the model. The getter 
just uses DateTime::format to get the string representation of the date.

That works for me (well, this works in FLOW3, haven't tested with 
Extbase) and is IMHO the easiest solution (although you then have to 
deal with validation on your own).

~michael