Yii2 Adding rules in models if the record is already exists in database

Question

My problem is validating the records if already exists in database. So i created a Officials Form using Gii Generator in yii2. It contains name_id,position,fname,mname,lname. If the admin wants to create a new data, and that data is already exists it will show a pop-up message "This data already exists". How can i achieve that? Any ideas?

This is my model:

class Name extends \yii\db\ActiveRecord
{
public static function tableName()
{
    return 'name';
}
public function rules()
{
    return [
        [['position', 'fname', 'lname'], 'required'],
        [['position', 'fname', 'mname', 'lname'], 'string', 'max' => 50],


    ];
}
public function attributeLabels()
{
    return [
        'name_id' => 'Name ID',
        'position' => 'Position',
        'fname' => 'First Name',
        'mname' => 'Middle Name',
        'lname' => 'Last Name',
    ];
}
}

This is my controller:

   public function actionCreate()
{
    $model = new Name();

    if ($model->load(Yii::$app->request->post()) && $model->save()) {
        return $this->redirect(['report/create', 'id' => $model->name_id]);
    } else {
        return $this->renderAjax('create', [
            'model' => $model,
        ]);
    }
}

And this is my _form:

<div class="name-form">
<?php yii\widgets\Pjax::begin(['id' => 'sign-up']) ?>
<?php $form = ActiveForm::begin(['id' => 'form-signup', 'options' => ['data-pjax' => true]]); ?>

<?= $form->field($model, 'position')->textInput(['maxlength' => true,'style'=>'width:500px','placeholder' => 'Enter a Position....']) ?>

<?= $form->field($model, 'fname')->textInput(['maxlength' => true,'style'=>'width:500px','placeholder' => 'Enter a First Name....']) ?>

<?= $form->field($model, 'mname')->textInput(['maxlength' => true,'style'=>'width:500px','placeholder' => 'Enter a Middle Name....']) ?>

<?= $form->field($model, 'lname')->textInput(['maxlength' => true,'style'=>'width:500px','placeholder' => 'Enter a Last Name....'    ]) ?>

    <div class="form-group">
      <?= Html::submitButton($model->isNewRecord ? 'Create' : 'Update', ['class' => $model->isNewRecord ? 'btn btn-success' : 'btn btn-success','style' => 'padding:10px 60px; width:100%;']) ?>
    </div>


<?php ActiveForm::end(); ?>
<?php yii\widgets\Pjax::end() ?>

Answer 1

So i assume you want a unique validator, you can try this in your model :

public function rules()
{
    return [
        [['position', 'fname', 'lname'], 'required'],
        [['position', 'fname', 'mname', 'lname'], 'string', 'max' => 50],
        [['fname','lname'], 'unique', 'targetAttribute' => ['fname', 'lname'], 'message' => 'This data already exists']
    ];
}

The above rules will make the combination of fname and lname attributes to be unique, you can modify what attribute or combination of attributes you want to be unique by adding or removing the field name / attributes to the validation rules.