Custom Validation based on drop down selected value in MVC - asp.net-mvc

Question

I want validate a property using data annotation based on the value of another property.
I have a people model--
public class People
{
[DisplayName("Your Name")]
[Required]
public string Name { get; set; }
[Required]
public string Gender { get; set; }
[DisplayName("Your Age")]
[Required]
// Another Attribute here for my custom validation
public int Age { get; set; }
}
And Index :
public ActionResult Index()
{
IList<SelectListItem> types = new List<SelectListItem>();
types.Add(new SelectListItem() { Text = "Male", Value = "M" });
types.Add(new SelectListItem() { Text = "Female", Value = "F" });
ViewBag.ItemTypes = types;
return View();
}
'Gender' is bound to a drop down list and based on the selected Gender I want to validate 'Age' property.
If Male is selected then the Age range must be between 22 and 60.
If Female is selected then the Age range must be between 18 and 58.
There must be a custom validation attribute for this but I am not able to figure it out.
My View:
#using (Html.BeginForm("Index", "Test", FormMethod.Post))
{
#Html.AntiForgeryToken()
<div class="form-horizontal">
<h4>TimeRecord</h4>
<hr />
#Html.ValidationSummary(true, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Gender, htmlAttributes: new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.Gender, (IEnumerable<SelectListItem>)ViewBag.ItemTypes, new { #class = "form-control" })
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(m => m.Name, new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Name, new { #class = "form-control" })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.Name, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(m => m.Age, new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Age, new { #class = "form-control" })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.Age, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<div class="col-md-offset-2 col-md-10">
<input type="submit" value="Create" class="btn btn-default" />
</div>
</div>
</div>
}

Answer 1

You can create a custom validation attribute as it works well for validating individual properties (individual property-level validation), check the below code snippet.
namespace SO.Models
{
using Helpers;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
public class Person
{
// code omitted for brevity
[DisplayName("Your Age")]
[Required]
[PersonAge(minMaleAge: 22, maxMaleAge: 60, minFemaleAge: 18, maxFemaleAge: 58)]
public int Age { get; set; }
}
}
namespace SO.Helpers
{
using Models;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
public class PersonAgeAttribute : ValidationAttribute
{
private const string _validationMessage = "Age should be between {0} and {1}";
private int _minMaleAge;
private int _maxMaleAge;
private int _minFemaleAge;
private int _maxFemaleAge;
public PersonAgeAttribute(int minMaleAge, int maxMaleAge, int minFemaleAge, int maxFemaleAge)
{
_minMaleAge = minMaleAge;
_maxMaleAge = maxMaleAge;
_minFemaleAge = minFemaleAge;
_maxFemaleAge = maxFemaleAge;
}
protected override ValidationResult IsValid(object value, ValidationContext validationContext)
{
Person person = (Person)validationContext.ObjectInstance;
if (person.Gender == "M" && (person.Age < _minMaleAge || person.Age > _maxMaleAge))
{
return new ValidationResult(GetErrorMessage(person.Gender));
}
else if (person.Gender == "F" && (person.Age < _minFemaleAge || person.Age > _maxFemaleAge))
{
return new ValidationResult(GetErrorMessage(person.Gender));
}
return ValidationResult.Success;
}
private string GetErrorMessage(string gender)
{
if (gender == "M")
{
return string.Format(_validationMessage, _minMaleAge, _maxMaleAge);
}
else
{
return string.Format(_validationMessage, _minFemaleAge, _maxFemaleAge);
}
}
}
}
Alternatively IValidatableObject interface can be implemented to do class-level validation by implementing its Validate method. For more information check Class-Level Model Validation

Answer 2

Based on your requirement as per my understanding the solution may be like this.
For server side validation create your own custom side validation attribute. To enable client side validation inherit 'IClientValidatable'.
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Property, AllowMultiple = true, Inherited = false)]
public class AgeForGenderAttribute : ValidationAttribute, IClientValidatable
{
private string _PropertyToCompare { get; set; }
private string CurrentPropertyValue { get; set; }
public int _MinAgeForMale { get; set; }
public int _MaxAgeForMale { get; set; }
public int _MinAgeForFemale { get; set; }
public int _MaxAgeForFemale { get; set; }
string relevantErrorMessage { get; set; }
public AgeForGenderAttribute(string PropertyToCompare, int MinAgeForMale, int MaxAgeForMale, int MinAgeForFemale, int MaxAgeForFemale, string validationMessage)
{
this._PropertyToCompare = PropertyToCompare;
this._MinAgeForMale = MinAgeForMale;
this._MaxAgeForMale = MaxAgeForMale;
this._MinAgeForFemale = MinAgeForFemale;
this._MaxAgeForFemale = MaxAgeForFemale;
ErrorMessage = validationMessage;
}
protected override ValidationResult IsValid(object value, ValidationContext validationContext)
{
var comparePropertyInfo = validationContext.ObjectType.GetProperty(_PropertyToCompare);
object dependentPropertyValue = comparePropertyInfo.GetValue(validationContext.ObjectInstance, null);
CurrentPropertyValue = dependentPropertyValue.ToString();
var currentValue = (int)value;
if (dependentPropertyValue != null)
{
switch (CurrentPropertyValue)
{
case "M":
if (currentValue < _MinAgeForMale || currentValue > _MaxAgeForMale)
{
ErrorMessage = string.Format(ErrorMessage, _MinAgeForMale, _MaxAgeForMale);
return new ValidationResult(ErrorMessage);
}
break;
case "F":
if (currentValue < _MinAgeForFemale || currentValue > _MaxAgeForFemale)
{
ErrorMessage = string.Format(ErrorMessage, _MinAgeForMale, _MaxAgeForMale);
return new ValidationResult(ErrorMessage);
}
break;
}
}
return ValidationResult.Success;
}
public IEnumerable<ModelClientValidationRule> GetClientValidationRules(ModelMetadata metadata, ControllerContext context)
{
var rules = new ModelClientValidationRule
{
ValidationType = "conditionalrange",
ErrorMessage = ErrorMessage
};
rules.ValidationParameters.Add("condiotionalpropertyname", _PropertyToCompare);
rules.ValidationParameters.Add("minageformale", _MinAgeForMale);
rules.ValidationParameters.Add("maxageformale", _MaxAgeForMale);
rules.ValidationParameters.Add("minageforfemale", _MinAgeForFemale);
rules.ValidationParameters.Add("maxageforfemale", _MaxAgeForFemale);
yield return rules;
}
}
Your js:
$(function () {
$.validator.addMethod("conditionalrange", function (value, element, params) {
var condiotionalpropertyname = $('#' + params.condiotionalpropertyname).val();
var retVal = true;
switch (condiotionalpropertyname) {
case 'M':
if (value < params.minageformale || value > params.maxageformale) {
retVal = false;
}
break;
case "F":
if (value < params.minageforfemale || value > params.maxageforfemale) {
retVal = false;
}
break;
}
return retVal;
});
$.validator.unobtrusive.adapters.add("conditionalrange", ['condiotionalpropertyname', 'minageformale', 'maxageformale', 'minageforfemale', 'maxageforfemale'],
function (options) {
options.rules['conditionalrange'] = {
condiotionalpropertyname: options.params.condiotionalpropertyname,
minageformale: options.params.minageformale,
maxageformale: options.params.maxageformale,
minageforfemale: options.params.minageforfemale,
maxageforfemale: options.params.maxageforfemale
};
options.messages['conditionalrange'] = options.message;
}
);
}(jQuery));
It will work exactly as per your requirement.Make sure that you have included the all relevant js.
Property:
[DisplayName("Your Age")]
[Required]
[AgeForGender("Gender", 18, 45, 22, 60, "Age should be between {0} and {1}")]
public int Age { get; set; }