How to split models in Yii2?

Question

Yii

I came across the idea that when saving data from forms, it is worth validating the data first with a validating model, and then saving everything through a model inherited from ActiveRecord.
I understand the logic of this approach when you need to add data to the database. Then the code is quite simple
QuestionForm:

namespace backend\models;

use yii\base\Model;

class QuestionForm extends Model {

    public $active;
    public $question;
    public $answer;

    public function rules()
    {
        return[
            ['question','required'],
            ['answer','required'],
            ['active','boolean'],
        ];
    }

    public function create()
    {
        if(!$this->validate()) {
            return null;
        }

        $model = new Question();        
         ......
        return $model->save() ? true : false;
    }
}

In the actionCreate() controller:

public function actionCreate() {

        $model = new QuestionForm();

        if( \Yii::$app->request->isPost) {
            if( $model->load(\Yii::$app->request->post()) && $model->create(  ) ) {
             ...........
            }
        }
        
        return $this->render('create', ['model' => $model]);
    }

Everything is clear here. There will be a form in the view, with fields whose names will be something like QuestionForm[question] or QuestionForm[active]
Now the most important question is how to make an actionUpdate using a validating model?
If so

public function actionUpdate($id) {

         $model = $this->findModel($id);

        if( \Yii::$app->request->isPost) {

            if($model->load( \Yii::$app->request->post()) && $model->save() ) {

                $this->setSuccessAlert();
                $this->redirect(['update', 'id' => $model->id ]);

            }
        }

        return $this->render('update', [
            'model' => $model,
        ]);
    }

Then the validation will already be in the main model, which is inherited from ActiveRecord, and it turns out that the validation needs to be duplicated both in the Model and here.

Answer 1

If you have a view model with validation rules (and your QuestionForm is essentially a view model) and you want to completely get rid of validations in ActiveRecord then you should use it in actionUpdate, not ActiveRecord. Those. load the data from the post into the QuestionForm, validate it, and after that drive it into AR and save it...
For example, in its simplest form it could look like this:

class QuestionForm extends \yii\base\Model {

  public function findModel($id){
    $model = MyActiveRecord::findOne($id)
    return $model;
  }
    
  public function update($id)
  {
    $model = $this->findModel($id);
    if (is_null($model)) {
      return false;
    }
    $model->load($this->attributes, '');
    return $model->save();		
  }
}