ValidationAttribute Class (System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations)

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.NET Framework Class Library
ValidationAttribute Class

Serves as the base class for all validation attributes.

Inheritance Hierarchy
System.Object
  System.Attribute
    System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.ValidationAttribute
      System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.CustomValidationAttribute
      System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.DataTypeAttribute
      System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.RangeAttribute
      System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.RegularExpressionAttribute
      System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.RequiredAttribute
      System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.StringLengthAttribute

Namespace:  System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations
Assembly:  System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations (in System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.dll)
Syntax
Visual Basic
Public MustInherit Class ValidationAttribute _
	Inherits Attribute
C#
public abstract class ValidationAttribute : Attribute
Visual C++
public ref class ValidationAttribute abstract : public Attribute
F#
[<AbstractClass>]
type ValidationAttribute =  
    class
        inherit Attribute
    end

The ValidationAttribute type exposes the following members.

Constructors
  Name Description
Protected method ValidationAttribute() Initializes a new instance of the ValidationAttribute class.
Protected method ValidationAttribute(Func<String>) Initializes a new instance of the ValidationAttribute class by using the function that enables access to validation resources.
Protected method ValidationAttribute(String) Initializes a new instance of the ValidationAttribute class by using the error message to associate with a validation control.
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Properties
  Name Description
Public property ErrorMessage Gets or sets an error message to associate with a validation control if validation fails.
Public property ErrorMessageResourceName Gets or sets the error message resource name to use in order to look up the ErrorMessageResourceType property value if validation fails.
Public property ErrorMessageResourceType Gets or sets the resource type to use for error-message lookup if validation fails.
Protected property ErrorMessageString Gets the localized validation error message.
Public property TypeId When implemented in a derived class, gets a unique identifier for this Attribute. (Inherited from Attribute.)
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Methods
  Name Description
Public method Equals Infrastructure. Returns a value that indicates whether this instance is equal to a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute.)
Protected method Finalize Allows an object to try to free resources and perform other cleanup operations before it is reclaimed by garbage collection. (Inherited from Object.)
Public method FormatErrorMessage Applies formatting to an error message, based on the data field where the error occurred.
Public method GetHashCode Returns the hash code for this instance. (Inherited from Attribute.)
Public method GetType Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object.)
Public method GetValidationResult Checks whether the specified value is valid with respect to the current validation attribute.
Public method IsDefaultAttribute When overridden in a derived class, indicates whether the value of this instance is the default value for the derived class. (Inherited from Attribute.)
Public method IsValid(Object) Determines whether the specified value of the object is valid.
Protected method IsValid(Object, ValidationContext) Validates the specified value with respect to the current validation attribute.
Public method Match When overridden in a derived class, returns a value that indicates whether this instance equals a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute.)
Protected method MemberwiseClone Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object.)
Public method ToString Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object.)
Public method Validate(Object, ValidationContext) Validates the specified object.
Public method Validate(Object, String) Validates the specified object.
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Explicit Interface Implementations
  Name Description
Explicit interface implemetation Private method _Attribute.GetIDsOfNames Maps a set of names to a corresponding set of dispatch identifiers. (Inherited from Attribute.)
Explicit interface implemetation Private method _Attribute.GetTypeInfo Retrieves the type information for an object, which can be used to get the type information for an interface. (Inherited from Attribute.)
Explicit interface implemetation Private method _Attribute.GetTypeInfoCount Retrieves the number of type information interfaces that an object provides (either 0 or 1). (Inherited from Attribute.)
Explicit interface implemetation Private method _Attribute.Invoke Provides access to properties and methods exposed by an object. (Inherited from Attribute.)
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Exceptions
Exception Condition
ValidationException

The ErrorMessageResourceType and ErrorMessageResourceName properties for localized error message are set at the same time that the non-localized ErrorMessage property error message is set.
Remarks

This class enforces validation, based on the metadata that is associated with the data table. You can override this class to create custom validation attributes.

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4
Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
Thread Safety
Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.
See Also

Reference

System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations Namespace

Other Resources

How to: Customize Data Field Validation in the Data Model Using Custom Attributes