# InArray Validator

`Laminas\Validator\InArray` allows you to validate if a given value is contained
within an array. It is also able to validate multidimensional arrays.

## Supported options

The following options are supported for `Laminas\Validator\InArray`:

- `haystack`: Sets the haystack for the validation.
- `recursive`: Defines if the validation should be done recursively. This option
  defaults to `false`.
- `strict`: Three modes of comparison are offered owing to an often overlooked,
  and potentially dangerous security issue when validating string input from
  user input.
  - `InArray::COMPARE_STRICT`: This is a normal `in_array()` strict comparison
    that checks value and type.
  - `InArray::COMPARE_NOT_STRICT`: This is a normal `in_array()` non-strict
    comparison that checks value only, but not type.
  - `InArray::COMPARE_NOT_STRICT_AND_PREVENT_STR_TO_INT_VULNERABILTY`: This
    operates in essentially the same way as `InArray::COMPARE_NOT_STRICT`,
    but ensures that strings are not cast to integer during comparison,
    preventing `0 == 'foo43'` types of false positives.

> ### Use non-strict carefully
>
> Non-strict mode (`InArray::COMPARE_NOT_STRICT`) may give false positives when
> strings are compared against ints or floats owing to `in_array()`'s behaviour
> of converting strings to int in such cases. Therefore, `'foo'` would become
> `0`, `'43foo'` would become `43`, while `foo43'` would also become `0`.

## Array validation

Basic usage is to provide an array during instantiation:

```php
$validator = new Laminas\Validator\InArray([
    'haystack' => ['value1', 'value2',...'valueN'],
]);

if ($validator->isValid('value')) {
    // value found
} else {
    // no value found
}
```

This will behave exactly like PHP's `in_array()` method when passed only a
needle and haystack.

> ### Non-strict by default
>
> By default, this validation is not strict, nor can it validate
> multidimensional arrays.

Alternately, you can define the array to validate against after object
construction by using the `setHaystack()` method. `getHaystack()` returns the
actual set haystack array.

```php
$validator = new Laminas\Validator\InArray();
$validator->setHaystack(['value1', 'value2',...'valueN']);

if ($validator->isValid('value')) {
    // value found
} else {
    // no value found
}
```

## Array validation modes

As previously mentioned, there are possible security issues when using the
default non-strict comparison mode, so rather than restricting the developer,
we've chosen to offer both strict and non-strict comparisons, and add a safer
middle-ground.

It's possible to set the strict mode at initialisation and afterwards with the
`setStrict` method. `InArray::COMPARE_STRICT` equates to `true` and
`InArray::COMPARE_NOT_STRICT_AND_PREVENT_STR_TO_INT_VULNERABILITY` equates to
`false`.

```php
// defaults to InArray::COMPARE_NOT_STRICT_AND_PREVENT_STR_TO_INT_VULNERABILITY
$validator = new Laminas\Validator\InArray([
    'haystack' => ['value1', 'value2', /* ... */ 'valueN'],
]);

// set strict mode
$validator = new Laminas\Validator\InArray([
    'haystack' => ['value1', 'value2', /* ... */ 'valueN'],
    'strict'   => InArray::COMPARE_STRICT,  // equates to ``true``
]);

// set non-strict mode
$validator = new Laminas\Validator\InArray([
    'haystack' => ['value1', 'value2', /* ... */ 'valueN'],
    'strict'   => InArray:COMPARE_NOT_STRICT,  // equates to ``false``
]);

// or

$validator->setStrict(InArray::COMPARE_STRICT);
$validator->setStrict(InArray::COMPARE_NOT_STRICT);
$validator->setStrict(InArray::COMPARE_NOT_STRICT_AND_PREVENT_STR_TO_INT_VULNERABILITY);
```

> ### Non-strict safe-mode by default
>
> Note that the `strict` setting is per default `false`.

## Recursive array validation

In addition to PHP's `in_array()` method, this validator can also be used to
validate multidimensional arrays.

To validate multidimensional arrays you have to set the `recursive` option.

```php
$validator = new Laminas\Validator\InArray([
    'haystack' => [
        'firstDimension' => ['value1', 'value2', / ... */ 'valueN'],
        'secondDimension' => ['foo1', 'foo2', /* ... */ 'fooN'],
    ],
    'recursive' => true,
]);

if ($validator->isValid('value')) {
    // value found
} else {
    // no value found
}
```

Your array will then be validated recursively to see if the given value is
contained. Additionally you could use `setRecursive()` to set this option
afterwards and `getRecursive()` to retrieve it.

```php
$validator = new Laminas\Validator\InArray([
    'firstDimension' => ['value1', 'value2', /* ... */ 'valueN'],
    'secondDimension' => ['foo1', 'foo2', /* ... */ 'fooN'],
]);

$validator->setRecursive(true);

if ($validator->isValid('value')) {
    // value found
} else {
    // no value found
}
```

> ### Default setting for recursion
>
> By default, the recursive validation is turned off.

> ### Option keys within the haystack
>
> When you are using the keys `haystack`, `strict`, or `recursive` within
> your haystack, then you must wrap the `haystack` key.
