Zend Framework

For a variety of reasons, we decided that element, sub form, and display group names must be valid variable names. This means that numeric names are not compatible with the design. We have no plans to alter that support.

I can confirm this. Having a bit of memory, I do remember that PHP does not allow var names to start with digits. However, perhaps this "element, sub form, and display group names must be valid variable names" can be added to the docs somewhere. It helps save time. I'll add it as a comment for now.

(A side note as to why integers as subform's names)

One subform per row.

You can get what you want by doing this:
$data = $this->getRequest()->getPost();

Rather than:

$data = $form->getValues()

But that of course is not validated. It works for me since for scafolding, as I want my subform's name to be the id of a row. Otherwise I need to use hidden elements or setName('id' . $rowid) and then substr($subformname, 2). Ugly. I guess a hidden element might be the correct way to do that.

Hi,

it seems that using dashes in element values creates unexpected results.

For example, imagine that I'm creating a multi-select element using the following ini configuration:

;Section
elements.section.type = "multiselect"
elements.section.options.class = "field"
elements.section.options.label = "Section"
elements.section.options.multiOptions.city-guide = "City Guide"
elements.section.options.multiOptions.citystreets = "City Streets"
elements.section.options.multiOptions.cityroads = "City Roads"
elements.section.options.value.cityroads = "cityroads"
elements.section.options.value.city-guide = "city-guide"

It won't work as expected. Only the "City Roads" option will be selected.

This is because when the config is converted into a PHP array, it cuts off the "city-" part of "city-guide":

Array
(
[class] => field
[label] => Section
[multiOptions] => Array
(
[guide] => City Guide
[citystreets] => City Streets
[cityroads] => City Roads
)

[value] => Array
(
[cityroads] => cityroads
[guide] => city-guide
)

)

Then it calls Zend_Form_Element_Multiselect->setValue(Array
(
[cityroads] => cityroads
[guide] => city-guide
)
)

Which would fail for the city-guide option.

I would prefer that it do either of the following (in order of preference):

• replace dashes with an empty string, so that city-guide becomes 'cityguide' internally, and so setValue still works
• throws an Exception whenever it encounters an invalid option name, with instructions on how to format it correctly

Additionally, the official documentation should have a bold note explain how this works.
Thanks!