Form element's #required set to FALSE, but form submission still consider it as required

Question

I am trying to theme Contact form with template file, manipulating the contact form with form API, trying to hide the subject field and make it optional for submission.

$form['subject']['#required'] = FALSE;
hide($form['subject']);

I used dsm() to confirm that the #required is successfully set to FALSE.

However, when I submit the form, it still ask me to fill in Subject field. (The cache has been cleared.)

These are the steps that I have followed:

• In the template.php file I added the following code

  function mytheme_theme() {
    return array(
      'contact_site_form' => array(
        'render element' => 'form',
        'path' => drupal_get_path('theme', 'mytheme') . '/templates',
        'template' => 'contact-site-form',
      ),
   );
  

• I created the contact-site-form.tpl.php file with the following code

  $form['subject']['#required'] = FALSE;
  hide($form['subject']);
  print drupal_render_children($form);
  

• I cleared the cache

Answer 1

Yes, theming the form only changes its markup. If you want to change the form you have to hook_form_alter.

I once wondered how to add required styles to elements that weren't actually required. Your question just gave me the answer.

Answer 2

I see that its an old post but still... try to use this via hook_alter()

$form['subject'][und]['#required'] = FALSE;

well worked in my case:

$form['field_client']['und']['#required'] = FALSE;
hide($form['field_client']);

interesting that for 'title' field its just:

$form['title']['#required'] = FALSE; 

Answer 3

I don't know why your form field is still failing on validation, but try $form['subject']['#access'] = FALSE; to achieve what you want.

Answer 4

In drupal 8

$form['field_first_name']['#access'] = FALSE; $form['field_last_name']['#access'] = FALSE; $form['field_gender']['#access'] = FALSE;

works fine for me.