How can Safecracker check for a unique url_title field?

Question

I have a safecracker form that allows users to enter a url_title. If url_title is already used, by default, a number gets added to url_title so it’s unique. But instead of having this automated behavior where number gets added to url_title, Is there a way i can notify the user that the url_title typed is already taken so user can enter a new one?

Answer 1

You could build a custom extension that queries the database (I think exp_channel_titles) for the url_title supplied, then return an error to the user if it already exists. You would probably want to look into the safecracker_submit_entry_start hook.

Alternatively, you could use JavaScript and perform some validation on the front end that passes the url_title to an AJAX request that ultimately does a query like the option above. You could take that response and determine whether to prevent the form submission and notify the user if that url_title is taken or continue as normal if the url_title is not taken.

Answer 2

Alternatively, you could use JavaScript and perform some validation on the front end that passes the url_title to an AJAX request that ultimately does a query like the option above. You could take that response and determine whether to prevent the form submission and notify the user if that url_title is taken or continue as normal if the url_title is not taken.

That's sort of what I do.

I also check for a maximum character length of 50 (EE has a url_title char length of 75 I believe).

I use the following in a template with php on input to check if the url_title exists

*(Assuming segment_3 contains your url_title):*

<?php
if(isset($_SERVER['HTTP_X_REQUESTED_WITH']) && ($_SERVER['HTTP_X_REQUESTED_WITH'] == 'XMLHttpRequest')){
    $seg3 = $this->EE->uri->segment(3);
    if(isset($seg3) && ($seg3 != '')){
        $shopurl = utf8_decode($seg3);
        $length = strlen(utf8_decode($shopurl));
        $shopurl = $this->EE->db->escape_str($seg3);
        $query = $this->EE->db->query("SELECT count(url_title) AS count FROM exp2_channel_titles WHERE channel_id = '17' AND url_title = '$shopurl'");
        $count = $query->row('count');
        if($length >= '51'){
?>
    <div id="shopUrlMessage" class="userMessageSmall userMessageError shopUrlTaken">
        <p>
            Please choose a shorter name.
        </p>
    </div>
<? } if($length < '51' && $count != '0'){?>
    <div id="shopUrlMessage" class="userMessageSmall userMessageError shopUrlTaken">
        <p>
            Sorry that name is taken.
        </p>
    </div>
<? } if($length < '51' && $count == '0') {?>
    <div id="shopUrlMessage" class="userMessageSmall userMessageSuccess">
        <p>
            Hooray! That name is available.
        </p>
    </div>
<? } }
} else {
    exit('No direct script access allowed');
}
?>