Laravel custom validation messages - laravel

Question

I'm trying to validate a UK postcode using Laravel. Here's what I've got:
//routes.php
$rules = array(
'pcode' => array('required:|Regex:/^([Gg][Ii][Rr] 0[Aa]{2})|((([A-Za-z][0-9]{1,2})|(([A-Za-z][A-Ha-hJ-Yj-y][0-9]{1,2})|(([A-Za-z][‌​0-9][A-Za-z])|([A-Za-z][A-Ha-hJ-Yj-y][0-9]?[A-Za-z])))) [0-9][A-Za-z]{2})$/')
);
$messages = array(
'required' => 'The :attribute field is required.',
'pcode' => array('regex', 'Poscode should be a valid UK based entry'),
);
$validator = Validator::make(Input::all(), $rules, $messages);
In my blade:
<input id="postcode" name="pcode" value="{{Input::old('pcode')}}" type="text" placeholder="Postcode" class="form-control" xequired="" />
#if( $errors->has('pcode') ) <span class="error" style='background-color: pink;'>{{ $errors->first('pcode') }}</span> #endif
If I submit the form with an empty pcode field, it warns me for a required field. If I enter an invalid postcode, '74rht' say, my validator does nothing or fails to display my custom message as defined above?

Answer 1

The Laravel manual states:
Note: When using the regex pattern, it may be necessary to specify rules in an array instead of using pipe delimiters, especially if the regular expression contains a pipe character.
Change the $rules to this structure:
$rules = array(
'pcode' => array(
'required',
'Regex:/^([Gg][Ii][Rr] 0[Aa]{2})|((([A-Za-z][0-9]{1,2})|(([A-Za-z][A-Ha-hJ-Yj-y][0-9]{1,2})|(([A-Za-z][‌​0-9][A-Za-z])|([A-Za-z][A-Ha-hJ-Yj-y][0-9]?[A-Za-z])))) [0-9][A-Za-z]{2})$/'
)
);
If that doesn't work, then maybe your regex isn't valid, try to use a easier regex to check if the validator works.

Answer 2

Fist, you will want to register a custom validation rule with the validator.
Validator::extend('pcode_rule_name', function($attribute, $value)
{
return preg_match('/^([Gg][Ii][Rr] 0[Aa]{2})|((([A-Za-z][0-9]{1,2})|(([A-Za-z][A-Ha-hJ-Yj-y][0-9]{1,2})|(([A-Za-z][‌​0-9][A-Za-z])|([A-Za-z][A-Ha-hJ-Yj-y][0-9]?[A-Za-z])))) [0-9][A-Za-z]{2})$/', $value);
});
src: http://laravel.com/docs/validation#custom-validation-rules
Then you will want to specify custom messages in app/lang/en/validation.php
You will find a place to add your custom message for your your rule
'custom' => array(
'attribute-name' => array(
'rule-name' => 'custom-message',
),
),
You can add a rule like so:
'custom' => array(
'pcode' => array(
'pcode_rule_name' => 'Post Code should be a valid UK based entry',
),
),
There will also be an array to name your "pcode" field so it will be more eloquently named for rules like "required".
'attributes' => array(),
just add the name like so
'attributes' => array(
'pcode' => 'Postal Code",
),