CakePHP Custom Validation Method Not Called With allowEmpty - cakephp

Question

I have a model that has a first name, last name, and organization/company name field. The user must enter either a first name and a last name OR an organization name.
The issue is that my custom validation method ("validateNames") is never called. For debugging purposes, I have a "die" statement there, rather than real validation logic -- but the die statement is never reached.
My model looks like:
class Contact extends AppModel {
public $validate = array(
'first_name' => array(
'rule' => 'validateNames',
'allowEmpty' => true,
'required' => false
),
'last_name' => array(
'rule' => 'validateNames',
'allowEmpty' => true,
'required' => false
),
'organization' => array(
'rule' => 'validateNames',
'allowEmpty' => true,
'required' => false
)
);
public function validateNames($check) {
die('here');
}
}
The problem is that as long as I have 'allowEmpty' in the validation rules, my custom validation method is never called (and the 'die' statement is never reached). But if I remove 'allowEmpty', then an HTML "required" attribute is added to each INPUT field (even though I have 'required' => false) -- this prevents the form from being submitted unless all three fields are filled in, when only one (organization) or two (first and last names) are actually required.

Answer 1

You must have to pass in array if you want to call 2 or more validation with same fields
like
class Contact extends AppModel {
public $validate = array(
'first_name' => array(
'rule1' => array(
'rule' => 'validateNames',
'message' => 'Must be a valid first name',
'allowEmpty' => true
),
),
'last_name' => array(
'rule1' => array(
'rule' => 'validateNames',
'message' => 'Must be a valid names',
'allowEmpty' => true
),
'organization' => array(
'rule' => 'validateNames',
'allowEmpty' => true,
'required' => false
)
);
public function validateNames($check) {
die('here');
}
}
let me know if i can help you more.

Answer 2

Remove allowEmpty option from the validation rules and disable required option when outputting the field in your view. Try this:
Model:
class Contact extends AppModel {
public $validate = array(
'first_name' => array(
'rule' => 'validateNames'
),
'last_name' => array(
'rule' => 'validateNames'
),
'organization' => array(
'rule' => 'validateNames'
)
);
public function validateNames($check) {
die('here');
}
}
View:
echo $this->Form->input('first_name', array('required' => false));
echo $this->Form->input('last_name', array('required' => false));
echo $this->Form->input('organization', array('required' => false));