CakePHP - Form Handling

CakePHP provides various in built tags to handle HTML forms easily and securely. Like many other PHP frameworks, major elements of HTML are also generated using CakePHP. Following are the various functions used to generate HTML elements.
The following functions are used to generate select options −
Elements to format
Elements to format
Parents for OPTGROUP
Parents for OPTGROUP
Whether to show parents
Whether to show parents
HTML attributes
HTML attributes
The following functions are used to generate HTML select element.
Name attribute of the SELECT
Array of the OPTION elements (as 'value'=>'Text' pairs) to be used in the SELECT element.
The following functions are used to generate button on HTML page.
Button(string $title, array $optionsarray() )
The button's caption. Not automatically HTML encoded.
The button's caption. Not automatically HTML encoded.
Array of options and HTML attributes
Array of options and HTML attributes
Creates a <button> tag. The type attribute defaults to type="submit". You can change it to a different value by using $options['type'].
The following functions are used to generate checkbox on HTML page.
Name of a field, like this "Modelname.fieldname"
Name of a field, like this "Modelname.fieldname"
Array of HTML attributes. Possible options are value, checked, hiddenField, disabled, default.
Array of HTML attributes. Possible options are value, checked, hiddenField, disabled, default.
The following functions are used to create form on HTML page.
The model name for which the form is being defined. Should include the plugin name for plugin models. e.g. ContactManager.Contact. If an array is passed and $options argument is empty, the array will be used as options. If false, no model is used.
The model name for which the form is being defined. Should include the plugin name for plugin models. e.g. ContactManager.Contact. If an array is passed and $options argument is empty, the array will be used as options. If false, no model is used.
An array of html attributes and options. Possible options are type, action, url, default, onsubmit, inputDefaults, encoding.
An array of html attributes and options. Possible options are type, action, url, default, onsubmit, inputDefaults, encoding.
A formatted opening FORM tag.
The following functions are used to provide file uploading functionality on HTML page.
file(string $fieldName, array $optionsarray() )
Name of a field, in the form "Modelname.fieldname"
Name of a field, in the form "Modelname.fieldname"
Array of HTML attributes.
Array of HTML attributes.
A generated file input.
Creates file input widget.
The following functions are used to create hidden element on HTML page.
hidden( string $fieldName , array $optionsarray() )
Name of a field, in the form of "Modelname.fieldname"
Name of a field, in the form of "Modelname.fieldname"
Array of HTML attributes.
Array of HTML attributes.
A generated hidden input
Creates a hidden input field
The following functions are used to generate input element on HTML page.
Input(string $fieldName , array $options array() )
This should be "Modelname.fieldname"
This should be "Modelname.fieldname"
Each type of input takes different options
Each type of input takes different options
Completed form widget
Generates a form input element complete with label and wrapper div
The following functions are used to generate radio button on HTML page.
Radio(string $fieldName , array $optionsarray() , array $attributesarray() )
Name of a field, like this "Modelname.fieldname"
Name of a field, like this "Modelname.fieldname"
Radio button options array.
Radio button options array.
Array of HTML attributes, and special attributes above.
Array of HTML attributes, and special attributes above.
The following functions are used to generate submit button on HTML page.
The label appearing on the button OR if string contains :// or the extension .jpg, .jpe, .jpeg, .gif, .png. Use an image if the extension exists, AND the first character is /, image is relative to webroot, OR if the first character is not /, image is relative to webroot/img.
The label appearing on the button OR if string contains :// or the extension .jpg, .jpe, .jpeg, .gif, .png. Use an image if the extension exists, AND the first character is /, image is relative to webroot, OR if the first character is not /, image is relative to webroot/img.
Array of options. Possible options are div, before, after, type etc.
Array of options. Possible options are div, before, after, type etc.
An HTML submit button
The following functions are used to generate textarea element on HTML page.
Textarea(string $fieldName , array $options array() )
Name of a field, in the form "Modelname.fieldname"
Name of a field, in the form "Modelname.fieldname"
Array of HTML attributes, special option like escape
Array of HTML attributes, special option like escape
Make changes in the config/routes.php file as shown in the following code.
config/routes.php
<?php
use Cake\Http\Middleware\CsrfProtectionMiddleware;
use Cake\Routing\Route\DashedRoute;
use Cake\Routing\RouteBuilder;
$routes->setRouteClass(DashedRoute::class);
$routes->scope('/', function (RouteBuilder $builder) {
   $builder->registerMiddleware('csrf', new CsrfProtectionMiddleware([
      'httpOnly' => true,
   ]));
   $builder->applyMiddleware('csrf');
   //$builder->connect('/pages',['controller'=>'Pages','action'=>'display', 'home']);
   $builder->connect('register',['controller'=>'Registrations','action'=>'index']);
   $builder->fallbacks();
});
Create a RegistrationsController.php file at
src/Controller/RegistrationsController.php. Copy the following code in the controller file.
src/Controller/RegistrationsController.php
<?php
   namespace App\Controller;
   use App\Controller\AppController;
   class RegistrationsController extends AppController{
      public function index(){
         $country = array('India','United State of America','United Kingdom');
         $this->set('country',$country);
         $gender = array('Male','Female');
         $this->set('gender',$gender);
      }
   }
?>
Create a directory Registrations at src/Template and under that directory, create a View file called index.php. Copy the following code in that file.
src/Template/Registrations/index.php
<?php
   echo $this->Form->create(NULL,array('url'=>'/register'));
   echo '<label for="country">Country</label>';
   echo $this->Form->select('country',$country);
   echo '<label for="gender">Gender</label>';
   echo $this->Form->radio('gender ',$gender);
   echo '<label for="address">Address</label>';
   echo $this->Form->textarea('address');
   echo $this->Form->file('profilepic');
   echo '<div>'.$this->Form->checkbox('terms').
      '<label for="country">Terms ∓ Conditions</label></div>';
   echo $this->Form->button('Submit');
   echo $this->Form->end();
?>
Execute the above example by visiting the following URL − 
http://localhost/cakephp4/register
Upon execution, you will receive the following output.
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