For What Inputs Should I Define Rules In Model Class?

Question

Should I define rules for all of input elements in a model class? For example the model form has 2 input type element and a textarea. Can I just define rules for those two input type and not for textarea ?

I have done so but the text entered inside the textarea isn't save but if I put a rule for example for its length it will be saved.

Answer 1

If you don't define any rules for an attribute (or define an unsafe rule), that attribute will not be set during mass-assignment ( $model->attributes = $_POST['ModelClassName'] ). That seems like the most likely reason why your textarea value doesn't get saved. See Securing attribute assignments .

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Yii documentation suggests only creating rules for the fields that take user input. However, I found it useful to specify rules for all attributes, both based on business logic and underlying database storage (although I do not like the fact that the same class has to worry about both of these aspects), and then adding unsafe rules to the fields where mass-assignment should not be allowed.