Zend form parameters - how to change after instanciated

Question

I have a form that I need to resubmit to the action if a checkbox is TRUE. This is to facilitate chained select boxes with javascript turned off. Ideally I would instanciate the form object at the end only, just before sending it to the view, but as you can see I need it beforehand.

The form takes parameters (an array of lists used to populate the select boxes), and these parameters are not yet calculated at the point where I have to first instanciate the form object. Is there a way to instantiate the form and add the parameters later, thus avoiding having to re-instanciate the form at the end when I have the definitive lists?

Can anyone see a better way of doing this?

public function editcontactdetailsAction() {
 $auth = Zend_Auth::getInstance();
 $id = $auth->getidentity();
 $user = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\User')
 ->findOneByid($id);
 $town = $user->getTown();
 // initialize list values as null
 $townlist = array();
 $provincelist= array();
 $regionlist=array();
 $countrylist=array();
 //initialize ids as 0 so defaults can be set
 $townid=0;
 $provinceid=0;
 $regionid=0;
 $countryid=0;
 //initialize $data variable used to set defaults later
 $data=null;
 // HAS town - get corresponding lists for dropdowns
 if (!is_null($town)) {
 $townid = $town->getId();
 //get the province
 $province = $town->getProvince();
 $provinceid = $province->getId();
 //get the region
 $region = $province->getRegion();
 $regionid = $region->getId();
 //get the country
 $country = $region->getCountry();
 $countryid = $country->getId();
 $townlist = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\Town')->findActiveTowns($provinceid);
 $provincelist = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\Province')->findActiveProvinces($regionid);
 $regionlist = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\Region')->findActiveRegions($countryid);
 }
 // even if user NO town, populate the countries list
 $countrylist = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\Country')->findActiveCountries();
 $lists = array($townlist, $provincelist, $regionlist, $countrylist);
 $form = new Application_Model_FormContactDetails($lists);
// 
//---------------------------------------------------------------
 // Has the form been submitted?
 if ($this->getRequest()->isPost()) {
 //if we dont include the $validformline, the form is not populated with the post data
 $validform =$form->isValid($this->_request->getPost());
 //Is this a request to refresh the regional structure and not a real submit
 if($form->getValue('refreshregionalstructure')==1){
 //find out up to what the level the user has selected, starting from the bottom
 $formprovincevalue=$form->getValue('province');
 if(!$formprovincevalue==0){
 $townlist = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\Town')->findActiveTowns($formprovincevalue);
 }
 }
 else{
 // If the form data is valid, process it
 if ($form->isValid($this->_request->getPost())) {
 //save all to db
 try {
 // Save the user to the database
 // Set the flash message
 $this->_helper->flashMessenger->addMessage(array('success' =>
 _('The contact details were updated')));
 // Redirect the user to the home page
 $this->_redirect('/account/index');
 } catch (Exception $e) {
 $this->em->close();
 $this->view->errors = array(array(_('There was a problem editing your contact details.')));
 }
 } else {
 $this->view->errors = $form->getErrors();
 }
 }
 } else { //form has not been submitted yet
 // populate form with user record
 $data = array('firstname' => $user->getFirstname(), 'middlename' => $user->getMiddlename(),
 'surname' => $user->getSurname(), 'address1' => $user->getAddress1(),
 'address2' => $user->getAddress2(),'town'=> $townid,
 'province'=> $provinceid,'region'=> $regionid,'country'=> $countryid);
 }
 $lists = array($townlist, $provincelist, $regionlist, $countrylist);
 $form = new Application_Model_FormContactDetails($lists);
 //if we dont include the $validform line, the form is not populated with the post data
 $validform =$form->isValid($this->_request->getPost());
 if (!is_null($data))$form->setDefaults($data);
 $this->view->form = $form;
 }

Answer 1

I did it like this in the end, I'm not sure if it's the best way and I would welcome comments.

public function editcontactdetailsAction() {
 $auth = Zend_Auth::getInstance();
 $id = $auth->getidentity();
 $user = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\User')
 ->findOneByid($id);
 $town = $user->getTown();
 // initialize list values as null
 $townlist = array();
 $provincelist = array();
 $regionlist = array();
 $countrylist = array();
 //initialize ids as 0 so defaults can be set
 $townid = 0;
 $provinceid = 0;
 $regionid = 0;
 $countryid = 0;
 //initialize $data variable used to set defaults later
 $data = null;
 // HAS town - get corresponding lists for dropdowns
 if (!is_null($town)) {
 $townid = $town->getId();
 //get the province
 $province = $town->getProvince();
 $provinceid = $province->getId();
 //get the region
 $region = $province->getRegion();
 $regionid = $region->getId();
 //get the country
 $country = $region->getCountry();
 $countryid = $country->getId();
 $townlist = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\Town')->findActiveTowns($provinceid);
 $provincelist = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\Province')->findActiveProvinces($regionid);
 $regionlist = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\Region')->findActiveRegions($countryid);
 }
 // even if user NO town, populate the countries list
 $countrylist = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\Country')->findActiveCountries();
//---------------------------------------------------------------
 // Has the form been submitted?
 if ($this->getRequest()->isPost()) {
 if ($this->getRequest()->getPost('refreshregionalstructure') == 1) {
 //find out up to what the level the user has selected, starting from the bottom
 $formprovincevalue = $this->getRequest()->getPost('province');
 if (!$formprovincevalue == 0) {
 $townlist = $this->em->getRepository('Entities\Town')->findActiveTowns($formprovincevalue);
 }
 $lists = array($townlist, $provincelist, $regionlist, $countrylist);
 $form = new Application_Model_FormContactDetails($lists);
 //if we dont include the $validform line, the form is not populated with the post data
 $validform = $form->isValid($this->_request->getPost());
 } else {
 $lists = array($townlist, $provincelist, $regionlist, $countrylist);
 $form = new Application_Model_FormContactDetails($lists);
 // If the form data is valid, process it
 if ($form->isValid($this->_request->getPost())) {
 //save all to db
 try {
 // Save the user to the database
 // Set the flash message
 $this->_helper->flashMessenger->addMessage(array('success' =>
 _('The contact details were updated')));
 // Redirect the user to the home page
 $this->_redirect('/account/index');
 } catch (Exception $e) {
 $this->em->close();
 $this->view->errors = array(array(_('There was a problem editing your contact details.')));
 }
 } else {
 $this->view->errors = $form->getErrors();
 }
 }
 } else { //form has not been submitted yet
 // populate form with user record
 $data = array('firstname' => $user->getFirstname(), 'middlename' => $user->getMiddlename(),
 'surname' => $user->getSurname(), 'address1' => $user->getAddress1(),
 'address2' => $user->getAddress2(), 'town' => $townid,
 'province' => $provinceid, 'region' => $regionid, 'country' => $countryid);
 $lists = array($townlist, $provincelist, $regionlist, $countrylist);
 $form = new Application_Model_FormContactDetails($lists);
 //if we dont include the $validform line, the form is not populated with the post data
 $validform = $form->isValid($this->_request->getPost());
 }
 if (!is_null($data))
 $form->setDefaults($data);
 $this->view->form = $form;
 }