hard-code Form input field in cakephp so user can't edit it? - cakephp

Question

I have following form field in a registration form in cakephp. I want to make it 'hard-coded', so user can't edit it
echo $form->input('name', array('label' => __('Name *', true)));

Answer 1

Then don't add it to the form.
Those fields should be added in the controller (or even beforeValidate/beforeSave model layer) then right before saving:
if ($this->request->is('post')) {
$this->User->create();
// add the content before passing it on to the model
$this->request->data['User']['status'] = 1;
if ($this->User->save($this->request->data)) {
...
}
}
See "default values - hidden" here.

Answer 2

You can set the readonly property:
echo $form->input('name', array('label' => __('Name *', true), 'readonly' => true));
However, this only affects the UI, and so you still have to apply mark's answer to ensure the value doesn't get changed by the user.

Answer 3

Two options:
hard code the value before the save
use white list
If you want the field to be a read-only, from the moment it is set. use white list. this way - it doesn't matter if the user will submit the field or not. cake won't save it.
$white_list = array('title', 'category');
$this->Model->save($data,$validate,$white_list);
The other solution is as mark coded it:
$this->request->data['User']['status'] = 1;
if ($this->User->save($this->request->data)) {
...
}
Any solution should mix a UI indication that the field will not be changed. tho a good UX will not allow it in the first-place.