Hello there,

we are thinking about using the DB lookup field plugin to do some rather complex validation: we have a certain user type B, that may only register if a certain user type A user with an identical field value already exists.

More concretely: we are building a community for pharmacists, and pharmacy employees may only register if the OWNER of the same pharmacy already exists. We want to do this by checking the PRIMARY email address entered by any employee registering, against some other 'pharmacy email' address already provided by the pharmacy boss user (if he exists).

As you can see, this fits the DB lookup field plugin rather well, it would just take some modifying of the SELECT query to not look in a 'codes' table, but rather the comprofiler user table. However, as db lookup is a field type, it's impossible to apply its mechanism to the primary email field.

So what we're gonna do is some trickery where we create a second field at registration which ALSO contains the primary email address, and do the DB Lookup magic on that one.

(we can either explain it to the user why we ask this twice, but will probably just use JS to automatically duplicate the email into this second field, and some CSS to hide it entirely maybe)

... Is there a better way? Auto-actions come to mind?

Just a heads up: while writing, it occurred that yes, auto-actions are better suited to this - we already do some custom server-side validation with an onRegistrationSave (or what was it) auto action of type 'code' anyway, so this fits naturally.

And this way we don't have to use an extra plugin and mess with duplicate fields etc etc. So basically, the auto action will start like this:

if ($_POST = 'employee') {

//db lookup of $_POST etc etc

}

So, unless you have an even better way, I think we'll be going with this one. Auto actions rock, seriously Wonderful way to plug in our own wacky (because the client requirements are wacky) stuff in a nicely isolated way!

krileon wrote: CB Query Field query validation also has an Ajax feature so it can validate the results without ever having to post the registration form, it's all instant.

CB Auto Actions isn't suited for what you're wanting to do.

Aha, the AJAX thing is great - DB lookup didn't have that and that validation only on form submit, which is why we concluded, might as well use autoactions at this point for more control.

I'll look into the CB Query field! Though if I understand you correct, it is again a field type and thus not a validation procedure that can be applied to the primary email input field?