Zend_Validate_Date allows you to validate if a given value contains
a date. This validator validates also localized input.
The following options are supported for Zend_Validate_Date:
format: Sets the format which is used to write the date.
locale: Sets the locale which will be used to validate date values.
The easiest way to validate a date is by using the default date format. It is used when no locale and no format has been given.
<?php
$validator = new Zend_Validate_Date();
$validator->isValid('2000-10-10'); // returns true
$validator->isValid('10.10.2000'); // returns false
The default date format for Zend_Validate_Date is 'yyyy-MM-dd'.
Zend_Validate_Date validates also dates which are given in a
localized format. By using the locale option you can define the
locale which the date format should use for validation.
<?php
$validator = new Zend_Validate_Date(array('locale' => 'de'));
$validator->isValid('10.Feb.2010'); // returns true
$validator->isValid('10.May.2010'); // returns false
The locale option sets the default date format. In the above example this is 'dd.MM.yyyy' which is defined as default date format for 'de'.
Zend_Validate_Date supports also self defined date formats.
When you want to validate such a date you can use the format
option.
<?php
$validator = new Zend_Validate_Date(array('format' => 'yyyy'));
$validator->isValid('2010'); // returns true
$validator->isValid('May'); // returns false
Of course you can combine format and locale. In this case you can also use localized month or daynames.
<?php
$validator = new Zend_Validate_Date(array('format' => 'yyyy MMMM', 'locale' => 'de'));
$validator->isValid('2010 Dezember'); // returns true
$validator->isValid('2010 June'); // returns false