SilverStripe duplicate entries even with unique index - sql

Question

I'm trying to prevent duplicate records when adding customer records in my CRM with the following index:
private static $indexes = array(
'IndexFirstSurName' => array(
'type' => 'unique',
'value' => '"FirstName","Surname"'
)
);
Note that I extended Customer from Member where FirstName and Surname came from:
class Customer extends Member
But SilverStripe is still allowing duplicate entries of FirstName and Surname combination? Has anyone experienced the same problem?

Answer 1

The Man, in my experience a validate() is still needed even when using indexing:
public function validate() {
$result = parent::validate();
if(Member::get()->filter(array('FirstName' => $this->FirstName, 'Surname' => $this->Surname))->first()) {
$result->error('First and Surname must be unique for each member.');
}
return $result;
}
Alternately for a more robust breakout:
public function validate() {
$result = parent::validate();
if($member = Member::get()->filter(array('FirstName' => $this->FirstName, 'Surname' => $this->Surname))->first()) {
if($member->FirstName == $this->FirstName){
$result->error('Your Surname is fine, please change your First Name.');
}
if($member->Surname == $this->Surname){
$result->error('Your First Name is fine, please change your Surname.');
}
}
return $result;
}

Answer 2

note that I extended Customer from Member were FirstName and Surname came from
I wonder if SilverStripe is attempting to set indexes on the non-existent fields Customer.FirstName and Customer.Surname. Maybe try qualifying the columns by prepending the table that is actually having the indexes added to it like this:
private static $indexes = array(
'IndexFirstSurName' => array(
'type' => 'unique',
'value' => '"Member"."FirstName","Member"."Surname"'
)
);
You might also consider decorating Member instead of subclassing it. That way you wouldn't need to qualify the query fragments in this way.

Answer 3

The way to extend Member on SilverStripe is by extending DataExtension. As theruss is saying, you are trying to create a unique index on the table Customer, where you prabably do not have the fields FirstName and Surname.
Try this instead
class Customer extends DataExtension
{
private static $indexes = array(
'IndexFirstSurName' => array(
'type' => 'unique',
'value' => '"FirstName","Surname"'
)
);
}
And then let SilverStripe know about your extension in config.yml
Member:
extensions:
- Customer
Now run /dev/build?flush and you should see your index being created.
Check here for more information about extensions.