Idea 1
Consider using FILTER_CALLBACK. In this way, you can write a callback function that itself uses the filter extension, thus providing a recursive ability.
function validate_array($args) {
return function ($data) use ($args) {
return filter_input_array($data, $args);
};
}
This will generate the callback functions.
$args = array(
'user' => array(
'filter' => FILTER_CALLBACK,
'options' => validate_array(array(
'age' => array('filter' => FILTER_INPUT_INT),
'email' => array('filter' => FILTER_INPUT_EMAIL)
))
)
);
This is what the config array would then look like.
Idea 2
Do not hesitate to pat me on the back for this one because I am quite proud of it.
Take an arg array that looks like this. Slashes indicate depth.
$args = array(
'user/age' => array('filter' => FILTER_INPUT_INT),
'user/email' => array('filter' => FILTER_INPUT_EMAIL),
'user/parent/age' => array('filter' => FILTER_INPUT_INT),
'foo' => array('filter' => FILTER_INPUT_INT)
);
Assume your data looks something like this.
$data = array(
'user' => array(
'age' => 15,
'email' => '[email protected]',
'parent' => array(
'age' => 38
)
),
'foo' => 5
);
Then, you can generate an array of references that map keys such as 'user/age' to $data['user']['age']. In final production, you get something like this:
function my_filter_array($data, $args) {
$ref_map = array();
foreach ($args as $key => $a) {
$parts = explode('/', $key);
$ref =& $data;
foreach ($parts as $p) $ref =& $ref[$p];
$ref_map[$key] =& $ref;
}
return filter_var_array($ref_map, $args);
}
var_dump(my_filter_array($data, $args));
Now the only question is how you deal with the mismatch between the validation record and the original data set. This I cannot answer without knowing how you need to use them.
