[PHPwestoz] Hellooooo? (error handling)

[Samuel Cochran]

Nicolas Connault wrote:

> Leon Brooks wrote:
>
>> On Tuesday 25 January 2005 10:40, Nicolas Connault wrote:
>>
>>> I need your opinion on the best:
>>>    * Error Handling class  
>>
>> echo '</table></table><h1>There has been an error!</h1></body></html>';
>> exit;
>>
>> Grins, ducks, runs.
>
> Hum . . . I need Object-Oriented programming, here . . . this is not 
> helping!

Well, I don't know about OOP, but I generally use:

<?php

$errors = array();

if (error1($_POST['field']))
{
    $errors['field'][] = "This is a horrible error";
}

if (error2($_POST['field']))
{
    $errors['field'][] = "This is another horrible error";
}
else if (error3($_POST['field']))
{
    $errors['field'][] = "This is yet another horrible error";
}

if (empty($errors['field']))
{
    // handle data
}

// ...

?>
<form>
<?=(!empty($errors) ? '<p>There were errors. Please fix and try 
again.</p>' : '')?>
Field: <input type="..." name="field" value="<?=$_POST['field']?>" /><br />
<?php if (!empty($errors['field'])) { ?>
<ul><li><?=implode('</li><li>', $errors['field'])?></li></ul>
<?php } ?>
<!-- ...and repeat -->
</form>


This allows for great flexibility in terms of error checking, and also 
in presentation, as the error array is just a bunch of strings.

I also tend to use $errors[''] or $errors['.'] as a gobal errors field, 
presented at the top of the form, or such.

This could be converted into an object-orientated solution, depending on 
how you're handling your data inputs - for example, an OOP forms 
implentation coule implement error members on all objects, and check for 
the existence of errors when outputting the form. Errors could be added 
to form objects, as well as input objects. validate() and handle() (or 
equiv.) could add to these. The error member could either be a static 
string array, or an array of Error objects, your choice.

There you go :P

-- Sam