This portion of the tutorial explores L<HTML::FormFu> and how it can be
used to manage forms, perform validation of form input, as well as save
-and restore data to/from the database. This was written using
-HTML::FormFu version 0.05001.
+and restore data to/from the database.
See L<Catalyst::Manual::Tutorial::09_AdvancedCRUD> for additional form
management options other than L<HTML::FormFu>.
=head1 HTML::FormFu FORM CREATION
This section looks at how L<HTML::FormFu> can be used to add additional
-functionality to the manually created form from Chapter 4.
+functionality to the manually created form from
+L<Chapter 4|Catalyst::Manual::Tutorial::04_BasicCRUD>.
=head2 Inherit From Catalyst::Controller::HTML::FormFu
Don't forget to add:
+ requires 'HTML::FormFu';
requires 'Catalyst::Controller::HTML::FormFu';
+ requires 'requires 'HTML::FormFu::Model::DBIC';';
to your C<Makefile.PL>.
+
=head2 Add Action to Display and Save the Form
Open C<lib/MyApp/Controller/Books.pm> in your editor and add the
my $book = $c->model('DB::Book')->new_result({});
# Save the form data for the book
$form->model->update($book);
- # Set a status message for the user
- $c->flash->{status_msg} = 'Book created';
- # Return to the books list
- $c->response->redirect($c->uri_for($self->action_for('list')));
+ # Set a status message for the user & return to books list
+ $c->response->redirect($c->uri_for($self->action_for('list'),
+ {mid => $c->set_status_msg("Book created")}));
$c->detach;
} else {
# Get the authors from the DB
L<Config::Any>, most people tend to use YAML. First create a directory
to hold your form configuration files:
- mkdir -p root/forms/books
+ $ mkdir -p root/forms/books
Then create the file C<root/forms/books/formfu_create.yml> and enter the
following text:
Rating: 4
Author: Comer
-Click the Submit button, and you will be returned to the Book List page
+Click the "Submit" button, and you will be returned to the Book List page
with a "Book created" status message displayed.
Also note that this implementation allows you to create books with any
# Global filters and constraints.
constraints:
- # The user cannot leave any fields blank
- - Required
- # If not all fields are required, move the Required constraint to the
- # fields that are
+ # The user cannot leave any fields blank
+ - Required
+ # If not all fields are required, move the Required constraint to the
+ # fields that are
filter:
- # Remove whitespace at both ends
- - TrimEdges
- # Escape HTML characters for safety
- - HTMLEscape
+ # Remove whitespace at both ends
+ - TrimEdges
+ # Escape HTML characters for safety
+ - HTMLEscape
B<NOTE:> Copying and pasting YAML from Perl documentation is sometimes
tricky. See the L<Config::General Config for this tutorial> section of
spaces at the front or the back of the title and note that it will be
removed.
+Note that you can update your FormFu YAML forms and the development
+server does not need to reload -- the form definition is read from
+the YAML file each time a controller action uses it.
+
=head1 CREATE AND UPDATE/EDIT ACTION
# Make sure we were able to get a book
unless ($book) {
- $c->flash->{error_msg} = "Invalid book -- Cannot edit";
- $c->response->redirect($c->uri_for($self->action_for('list')));
+ # Set an error message for the user & return to books list
+ $c->response->redirect($c->uri_for($self->action_for('list'),
+ {mid => $c->set_error_msg("Invalid book -- Cannot edit")}));
$c->detach;
}
# Save the form data for the book
$form->model->update($book);
# Set a status message for the user
- $c->flash->{status_msg} = 'Book edited';
- # Return to the books list
- $c->response->redirect($c->uri_for($self->action_for('list')));
+ # Set a status message for the user & return to books list
+ $c->response->redirect($c->uri_for($self->action_for('list'),
+ {mid => $c->set_status_msg("Book edited")}));
$c->detach;
} else {
# Get the authors from the DB
...
<td>
[% # Add a link to delete a book %]
- <a href="[% c.uri_for(c.controller.action_for('delete'), [book.id]) %]">Delete</a>
+ <a href="[%
+ c.uri_for(c.controller.action_for('delete'), [book.id]) %]">Delete</a>
[% # Add a link to edit a book %]
- <a href="[% c.uri_for(c.controller.action_for('formfu_edit'), [book.id]) %]">Edit</a>
+ <a href="[%
+ c.uri_for(c.controller.action_for('formfu_edit'), [book.id]) %]">Edit</a>
</td>
...
-B<Note:> Only add two lines (the "Add a link to edit a book" comment and
+B<Note:> Only add three lines (the "Add a link to edit a book" comment and
the href for C<formfu_edit>). Make sure you add it below the existing
C<delete> link.