# Why does InputFilter allow\_empty + required with ArrayInput differ to regular Inputs?
**URL:** https://discourse.laminas.dev/t/why-does-inputfilter-allow-empty-required-with-arrayinput-differ-to-regular-inputs/3809
**Category:** Components & MVC
**Tags:** laminas-inputfilter
**Created:** [December 6, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://discourse.laminas.dev/t/why-does-inputfilter-allow-empty-required-with-arrayinput-differ-to-regular-inputs/3809 "2024-12-06T16:42:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@GLuskin](https://discourse.laminas.dev/u/GLuskin)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://discourse.laminas.dev/t/why-does-inputfilter-allow-empty-required-with-arrayinput-differ-to-regular-inputs/3809/1 "2024-12-06T16:42:07Z")
Hi All
I have been having issues dealing with arrays and the InputFilter’s “required” and “allow\_empty” options.
It is my understanding that:
- required = The input array must contain the field name as a key
- allow\_empty = The value for the input can be empty (i.e. empty string, empty array, etc.)
With a standard “Input” type, everything works as expected:
```auto
$inputFilter = new InputFilter();
$inputFilter->add([
'name' => 'textField',
'type' => Input::class,
'required' => true,
'allow_empty' => true,
'continue_if_empty' => false,
'filters' => [
['name' => StripTags::class],
]
]);
$inputFilter->setData([
'textField' => ''
]);
$result = $inputFilter->isValid(); // true
```
However, when using the ArrayInput type, an empty array is flagged as invalid:
```auto
$inputFilter = new InputFilter();
$inputFilter->add([
'name' => 'arrayField',
'type' => ArrayInput::class,
'required' => true,
'allow_empty' => true,
'continue_if_empty' => false,
'filters' => [
['name' => ToInt::class],
]
]);
$inputFilter->setData([
'arrayField' => []
]);
$result = $inputFilter->isValid(); // false
$inputFilter->getMessages(); // [[isEmpty] => Value is required and can't be empty]
```
Am I misunderstanding how these options are intended to work, or is this possibly a bug?
---
### Author:  [@froschdesign](https://discourse.laminas.dev/u/froschdesign)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://discourse.laminas.dev/t/why-does-inputfilter-allow-empty-required-with-arrayinput-differ-to-regular-inputs/3809/2 "2024-12-06T20:46:45Z")
Hello and welcome to our forums! 😃
> [@GLuskin](#):
>
> However, when using the ArrayInput type, an empty array is flagged as invalid:
It corresponds to the tests:
>
>
But feel free to [open an issue report](https://github.com/laminas/laminas-inputfilter/issues) if you think it should be different.
* * *
And please compare with:
```php
$inputFilter->setData([
'arrayField' => ['']
]);
```
```php
$inputFilter->setData([
'arrayField' => [null]
]);
```
---
### Author:  [@GLuskin](https://discourse.laminas.dev/u/GLuskin)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2024, 6:46pm UTC](https://discourse.laminas.dev/t/why-does-inputfilter-allow-empty-required-with-arrayinput-differ-to-regular-inputs/3809/3 "2024-12-07T18:46:26Z")
> [@froschdesign](#):
>
> And please compare with:
>
> ```auto
> $inputFilter->setData([
> 'arrayField' => ['']
> ]);
>
> ```
>
> ```auto
> $inputFilter->setData([
> 'arrayField' => [null]
> ]);
>
> ```
Now I understand (I think)…
When using an ArrayInput, the “allow\_empty” option does not mean “the array can be empty”, instead, it means “the elements of the array can be empty”.
Is this the intended behavior? I didn’t find any tests (or docs) that cover the “allow\_empty” option with the ArrayInput
---
### Author:  [@froschdesign](https://discourse.laminas.dev/u/froschdesign)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2024, 8:43am UTC](https://discourse.laminas.dev/t/why-does-inputfilter-allow-empty-required-with-arrayinput-differ-to-regular-inputs/3809/4 "2024-12-10T08:43:20Z")
This will be reworked and clarified with the next major update of laminas-inputfilter (v3) because this has not been further documented so far.