Only validate changed fields

[simplenotezy]

Say I have a user model like this:

class User {
    public static $rules = [
        'email'         => 'sometimes|required|unique:users,email|email',
        'firstname'         => 'sometimes|required|min:1',
        'lastname'      => 'sometimes|required|min:1',
    ]; 

}

The user is already saved in database, but without e-mail, firstname, or lastname.

The user wish to update ONLY his e-mail. When he sends the request, only containing an e-mail field, the validation will fail, because he did not provide an firstname and lastname.

How can I avoid that? I.e. only validate the fields that are sent in the request; so if firstname is not sent, Ardent will not validate it, and instead only validate the fields that are present.

[simplenotezy]

My current, very hacky, workaround

/**
 * Only validate the changed fields
 * @return [type] [description]
 */

    public function validateChangedFields() {

        $rules = [];

        foreach($this->getDirty() as $attribute => $value){
            $original= $this->getOriginal($attribute);
            //echo "Changed $attribute from '$original' to '$value'<br/>\r\n";

            $rules[$attribute] = static::$rules[$attribute];
        }

        return $this->validate($rules);
    }

It might explain better what I am trying to achieve.