Validation across properties in same class

I saw a couple of threads about validating across classes, but I need something simpler.

I have an object.StartDate and object.EndDate, and I'd like to ensure that the StartDate is less than or equal to the EndDate.

I tried associating a custom rule StartIsLessThanOrEqualToEnd with both properties, but that doesn't do what I want.  If user sets the StartDate first, that rule gets broken, and does not get re-checked when user sets the EndDate.  So, the IsValid is false, but the rule is not broken.

Is there a way to call an "object-level" validation, as opposed to a "property-level" validation?  What's the best way to handle this scenario?

Dave

If you don't want the rules to be processed whilst setting the properties you can set the SuppressEntityEvents to true.

If you have both of your properties set and SuppressEntityEvents = false, then call object.Validate() and the rules should be validated correctly and the IsValid set accordingly.

HTH

swin

Dave,

One way to define your rule would be like following:

         ...
        
        protected override void AddValidationRules()
        {
            base.AddValidationRules();
            ValidationRules.AddRule(ValidateDates, ClassColumn.StartDate.ToString());
        }
        private bool ValidateDate(ValidateDates target, Validation.ValidationRuleArgs e)
        {
            string errorMessage = "";
            if (Util.DateDiff(this.Start, this.EndDate) > 0)
            {
                errorMessage = @"The StartDate can only be less or equal to EndDate.";
                e.Description = errorMessage;
                return false;
            }
            return true;
        }        
        
        ...
        
    public static System.Double DateDiff(DateTime date1, DateTime date2)
    {
        DateTime d1 = new DateTime(date1.Year, date1.Month, date1.Day);
        DateTime d2 = new DateTime(date2.Year, date2.Month, date2.Day);
        TimeSpan s = d2 - d1;
        return (s.TotalDays);
    } 

davem1958@gmail.com:

I saw a couple of threads about validating across classes, but I need something simpler.

I have an object.StartDate and object.EndDate, and I'd like to ensure that the StartDate is less than or equal to the EndDate.

I tried associating a custom rule StartIsLessThanOrEqualToEnd with both properties, but that doesn't do what I want.  If user sets the StartDate first, that rule gets broken, and does not get re-checked when user sets the EndDate.  So, the IsValid is false, but the rule is not broken.

Is there a way to call an "object-level" validation, as opposed to a "property-level" validation?  What's the best way to handle this scenario?

Dave

Oops ... sorry i misread the initial post. I agree with Swin though

I think that answers my question.  Basically, it's a "lazy-validate" implementation, and IsValid is not always "valid". 

hejdig. I created a slightly simpler example. (Since I got help from the original posting I thought help later readers.)

Also note that one has to add a rule for both Min and Max and that there will be two myEntity.BrokenRulesList items.

    protected override void AddValidationRules()
    {
        base.AddValidationRules();
        ValidationRules.AddRule(ValidateMinMax, "Min");
        ValidationRules.AddRule(ValidateMinMax, "Max");
    }

    public bool ValidateMinMax( object o, Validation.ValidationRuleArgs e)
    {
        if (min < max)
        {
            return true;
        }
        else
        {
            e.Description = string.Format("Min [{0}] must be less than Max [{0}]", min, max);
            return false;
        }
    }

/OF