Custom validation rules for ASP.NET MVC2 Application - asp.net-mvc

Question

I am attempting to add validation to my application. I have some rules I need to check before allowing the information to be written to the database. I have the basic data validation added to the model, but I also need to make sure that if one field has a certain value, this other field is required. At one time the NerdDinner tutorial at asp.net covered that and I used that in the past for validation, but now I can't find that or any other example. Here is my model:
public class DayRequested
{
public int RequestId { set; get; }
[Required, DisplayName("Date of Leave")]
public string DateOfLeave { get; set; }
[Required, DisplayName("Time of Leave")]
public string TimeOfLeave { get; set; }
[Required, DisplayName("Hours Requested")]
[Range(0.5, 24, ErrorMessage = "Requested Hours must be within 1 day")]
public double HoursRequested { get; set; }
[Required, DisplayName("Request Type")]
public string RequestType { get; set; }
[DisplayName("Specify Relationship")]
public string Relationship { get; set; }
[DisplayName("Nature of Illness")]
public string NatureOfIllness { get; set; }
public bool AddedToTimesheet { get; set; }
public bool IsValid
{
get { return (GetRuleViolations().Count() == 0); }
}
public IEnumerable<RuleViolation> GetRuleViolations()
{
if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(DateOfLeave))
yield return new RuleViolation("Date of Leave Required", "DateOfLeave");
if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(TimeOfLeave))
yield return new RuleViolation("Date of Leave Required", "TimeOfLeave");
if ((HoursRequested < 0.5) || (HoursRequested > 24))
yield return new RuleViolation("Hours must be in a period of one day", "HoursRequested");
if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(RequestType))
yield return new RuleViolation("Request Type is required", "RequestType");
if ((!String.IsNullOrEmpty(NatureOfIllness)) && (NatureOfIllness.Length < 3))
yield return new RuleViolation("Nature of Illness must be longer 2 characters", "NatureOfIllness");
// Advanced data validation to make sure rules are followed
LeaveRequestRepository lrr = new LeaveRequestRepository();
List<LeaveRequestType> lrt = lrr.GetAllLeaveRequestTypes();
LeaveRequestType workingType = lrt.Find(b => b.Id == Convert.ToInt32(RequestType));
if ((String.IsNullOrEmpty(Relationship)) && (workingType.HasRelationship))
yield return new RuleViolation("Relationship is Required", "Relationship");
if ((String.IsNullOrEmpty(NatureOfIllness)) && (workingType.HasNatureOfIllness))
yield return new RuleViolation("Nature of Illness is Required", "NatureOfIllness");
yield break;
}
}
My controller:
//
// POST: /LeaveRequest/Create
[Authorize, HttpPost]
public ActionResult Create(LeaveRequest leaveRequest, List<DayRequested> requestedDays)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
foreach (DayRequested requestedDay in requestedDays)
{
requestedDay.RequestId = leaveRequest.RequestId;
requestedDay.NatureOfIllness = (String.IsNullOrEmpty(requestedDay.NatureOfIllness) ? "" : requestedDay.NatureOfIllness);
requestedDay.Relationship = (String.IsNullOrEmpty(requestedDay.Relationship) ? "" : requestedDay.Relationship);
if (requestedDay.IsValid)
lrRepository.CreateNewLeaveRequestDate(requestedDay);
else
return View(new LeaveRequestViewModel(leaveRequest, requestedDays, lrRepository.GetLeaveRequestTypes()));
}
if (leaveRequest.IsValid)
lrRepository.CreateNewLeaveRequest(leaveRequest);
else
return View(new LeaveRequestViewModel(leaveRequest, requestedDays, lrRepository.GetLeaveRequestTypes()));
}
else
return View(new LeaveRequestViewModel(leaveRequest, requestedDays, lrRepository.GetLeaveRequestTypes()));
return RedirectToAction("Index", lrRepository.GetLeaveRequests(udh.employeeId));
}
ModelState.IsValid is not set to false though the code in IsValid is run and does return a RuleViolation. So I manually check IsValid it returns false. When I return to the view, the error messages do not appear. What might I be missing? Here are some snippets of the views.
Create.aspx
<asp:Content ID="Content2" ContentPlaceHolderID="MainContent" runat="server">
<h2>Create New Leave Request</h2>
<div><%= Html.ActionLink("Back to List", "Index") %></div>
<%= Html.Partial("RequestEditor", Model) %>
<div><%= Html.ActionLink("Back to List", "Index") %></div>
</asp:Content>
RequestEditor.ascx
<% using (Html.BeginForm()) {%>
<%= Html.ValidationSummary(true) %>
<table id="editorRows">
<% foreach (var item in Model.DaysRequested)
Html.RenderPartial("RequestedDayRow", new EmployeePayroll.ViewModels.LeaveRequestRow(item, Model.LeaveRequestType)); %>
</table>
<p>Type your time to sign your request.</p>
<p><%= Html.LabelFor(model => model.LeaveRequest.EmployeeSignature) %>:
<%= Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.LeaveRequest.EmployeeSignature, new { Class="required" })%>
<%= Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.LeaveRequest.EmployeeSignature)%></p>
<p><input type="submit" value="Submit Request" /></p>
<% } %>
RequestedDayRow.ascx
<tbody class="editorRow">
<tr class="row1"></tr>
<tr class="row2">
<td colspan="2" class="relationship">
<%= Html.LabelFor(model => model.DayRequested.Relationship)%>:
<%= Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.DayRequested.Relationship) %>
<%= Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.DayRequested.Relationship)%>
</td>
<td colspan="2" class="natureOfIllness">
<%= Html.LabelFor(model => model.DayRequested.NatureOfIllness)%>:
<%= Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.DayRequested.NatureOfIllness) %>
<%= Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.DayRequested.NatureOfIllness)%>
</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>

Answer 1

It's quite simple - you just need to apply your validation attribute to the entire model (or a child class). Then the validation attribute gets a reference to the model instead of just one property and you can perform your checks on multiple properties.

Answer 2

You should look at password validation for an example of how to do this.
Check out the PropertiesMustMatch validator here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ee336030.aspx