Validating an empty string as a VAT no. returns true

[Luke1982]

corebos/include/validation/Validations.php

Lines 72 to 74 in 3a8a2fc

	if ($num_tva=='') {
	return true;
	}

I think this is fundamentally wrong. We essentially say that an empty string is a valid EU VAT no., which it most definitely is not.

[joebordes]

I think this was totally on purpose to support creating accounts without a VAT number but forcing a valid one if given. That is a very typical use case when you are still prospecting.
If you don't want to support that make the field mandatory and it should work.
Open the issue again if I'm wrong.

[Luke1982]

You're not wrong, but I do think we're taking a wrong approach. I wanted to re-use this function in a module I created to see if the VAT no. was correct. But I had to manually re-check the field for presence of any string at all. I think the functionality should be split over two logical functions:

• Validate a VAT no. That does not accept an empty string. This is solely used to take a VAT no. and to see if it is valid.
• Validate the VAT field, which should allow an empty string (since yes, there are sales stages in which this could occur) but if the field is not empty, it should be a valid VAT no.

[joebordes]

that sounds reasonable to me. go ahead I will accept it

[reetp]

* Validate the VAT field, which **should** allow an empty string (since yes, there are sales stages in which this could occur) but if the field is not empty, it should be a valid VAT no.

Absolutely.

We have LOTS of clients who do not have a VAT number. Enforcing this would be dire for us.