Level 75
Normally a search will have the first request a post, and subsequent request are get.
Aug 12, 2025
7
Level 6
how can i validate a form with Get method usng FormRequest class?
hi I have implemented search and filter functionality in my project, and I want to validate the form using a Form Request class. The form has three parts:
A search input and a "Sort By" select field
Five "Search By" options
A submit button
What I need is a validation rule that triggers an error if the search input is not empty but none of the "Search By" options are selected. (Note: I’m using query strings for all of them.)
//controller
public function home(SearchFilterRequest $request){
/* $searchQuery = $request->query('search') ?? '';
$searchByQuery = $request->query('searchBy') ?? [];*/
/* $users = User::filterdSearch($searchQuery, $searchByQuery)
->sort('first_name')
->get();*/
$validation = $request->validated();
return view("home");
}
//form request
<?php
namespace App\Http\Requests;
use Illuminate\Contracts\Validation\ValidationRule;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\FormRequest;
use Illuminate\Validation\Validator;
class SearchFilterRequest extends FormRequest
{
/**
* Determine if the user is authorized to make this request.
*/
public function authorize(): bool
{
return true;
}
/**
* Get the validation rules that apply to the request.
*
* @return array<string, ValidationRule|array|string>
*/
public function rules(): array
{
return [
'search' => 'string',
'searchBy' => 'array',
'searchBy.*' => "string",
];
}
public function after(): array
{
return [
function(Validator $validator)
{
if( !empty($this->query('search')) && empty($this->query('searchBy')) ){
$validator->errors()->add('search', 'please select a search by');
}
}
];
}
}
//form
<form class="max-w-sm mx-auto" method="GET" action="{{ route('home') }}">
<div class="mb-5">
<label for="email" class="block mb-2 text-sm font-medium text-gray-900 dark:text-white">Your
email</label>
<input type="text" id="email"
class="bg-gray-50 border border-gray-300 text-gray-900 text-sm rounded-lg focus:ring-blue-500 focus:border-blue-500 block w-full p-2.5 dark:bg-gray-700 dark:border-gray-600 dark:placeholder-gray-400 dark:text-white dark:focus:ring-blue-500 dark:focus:border-blue-500"
placeholder="[email protected]" name="search" value="{{ old('search') }}"/>
</div>
<fieldset>
<div class="flex items-center mb-4 gap-2">
<div class="flex items-center">
<input id="checkbox-1" type="checkbox"
value="email"
name="searchBy[email]"
class="w-4 h-4 text-blue-600 bg-gray-100 border-gray-300 rounded-sm focus:ring-blue-500">
<label for="checkbox-1" class="ms-2 text-sm font-medium text-gray-900 dark:text-gray-300">email</label>
</div>
<div class="flex items-center">
<input id="checkbox-1" type="checkbox"
value="first_name" name="searchBy[first_name]"
class="w-4 h-4 text-blue-600 bg-gray-100 border-gray-300 rounded-sm focus:ring-blue-500">
<label for="checkbox-1" class="ms-2 text-sm font-medium text-gray-900 dark:text-gray-300">first
name</label>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
<button type="submit"
class="text-white bg-blue-700 hover:bg-blue-800 focus:ring-4 focus:ring-blue-300 font-medium rounded-lg text-sm px-5 py-2.5 me-2 mb-2 dark:bg-blue-600 dark:hover:bg-blue-700 focus:outline-none dark:focus:ring-blue-800">
submit
</button>
</form>
Level 51
I believe you need to use the beforeValidation method in your form request class, then extract the values from the query string. Something like this...
protected function prepareForValidation()
{
$this->merge([
'key' => $this->query('value'),
]);
}
The merge will add the values to the data to be validated.
Level 50
may be because the FormRequests classes are made for all of the http verbs execluding Get requests
There's no difference in how form requests are handled on GET and POST requests. When you say it doesn't work, what exactly isn't working as you expect?
The name form request is a bit misleading. It's an agnostic class that encapsulates input validation, mutation, and authorization. It can be used with any request, including API calls.
You should use normal input methods when accessing input values. I suspect the raw query() method doesn't work with associative arrays.
- $request->query('searchBy')
+ $request->input('searchBy')
- if(empty($this->query('search')))
+ if(!$this->filled('search'))
There's also no need for two separate callback functions in the after() method. You can move those two if-statements into a single method and remove the other.
Level 6
@JussiMannisto is there is a problem if I made this form a post request that rediricts ot the same page other than using Get
Level 50
@minaremonshaker I don't know why you would do that. The HTTP verb doesn't matter.
Fix the code instead. Don't try to read arrays with $request->query(). Use $request->input().
I assume that's your issue. You still haven't explained what in your code doesn't work.
There's also no need for the after() method. You can use normal validation rules like @ghabe suggested. It makes no difference if the input is in a query string or a POST body.
Level 1
In your FormRequest, make searchBy nullable and add a check in after():
public function rules(): array
{
return [
'search' => 'nullable|string',
'searchBy' => 'nullable|array',
'searchBy.*' => 'string',
];
}
public function after(): array
{
return [
function (Validator $validator) {
if (!empty($this->query('search')) && empty($this->query('searchBy'))) {
$validator->errors()->add('searchBy', 'Please select at least one Search By option.');
}
}
];
}
This way, if the search box is filled but no checkbox is selected, validation will fail.
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