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BaseValidator.ControlToValidate Property

Gets or sets the input control to validate.

[Visual Basic]
Public Property ControlToValidate As String
[C#]
public string ControlToValidate {get; set;}
[C++]
public: __property String* get_ControlToValidate();
public: __property void set_ControlToValidate(String*);
[JScript]
public function get ControlToValidate() : String;
public function set ControlToValidate(String);

Property Value

The input control to validate. The default value is String.Empty.

Remarks

Use the ControlToValidate property to specify the input control to validate. This property must be set to the ID of an input control for all validation controls except for the CustomValidator control, which can be left blank. If you do not specify a valid input control, an exception will be thrown when the page is rendered. The ID must refer to a control within the same container as the validation control. It must be in the same page or user control, or it must be in the same template of a templated control.

The standard controls that can be validated are TextBox, ListBox, DropDownList, RadioButtonList, System.Web.UI.HtmlControls.HtmlInputText, System.Web.UI.HtmlControls.HtmlInputFile, System.Web.UI.HtmlControls.HtmlSelect and System.Web.UI.HtmlControls.HtmlTextArea.

Note   For an input control to be validated, the System.Web.UI.ValidationPropertyAttribute must be applied to the control.
Note   All validation controls, except the RequiredFieldValidator control, will pass validation if the input control specified by the ControlToValidate property contains no text.

Example

[Visual Basic, C#, JScript] The following example demonstrates how to use the ControlToValidate property to specify the input control to validate.

[Visual Basic] 
<%@ Page Language="VB" AutoEventWireup="True" %>

<html>
<head>
   <script runat="server">
 
      Sub Button_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) 

         Dim rand_number As Random = New Random()

         Compare1.ValueToCompare = rand_number.Next(1, 10).ToString()
         Compare1.Validate()
 
         If Page.IsValid Then 

            lblOutput.Text = "You guessed correctly!!"
         
         Else 
         
            lblOutput.Text = "You guessed poorly"
         
         End If

         lblOutput.Text += "<br><br>" & "The number is: " & Compare1.ValueToCompare

      End Sub
 
   </script>
 
</head>
<body>
 
   <form runat=server>

      <h3>Validator Example</h3>

      <h5>Pick a number between 1 and 10:</h5>
     
      <asp:TextBox id="TextBox1" 
           runat="server"/>

      <asp:CompareValidator id="Compare1" 
           ControlToValidate="TextBox1"
           ValueToCompare="0"
           EnableClientScript="False"  
           Type="Integer"
           Display="Dynamic" 
           ErrorMessage="Incorrect guess!!"
           Text="*"
           runat="server"/>

      <asp:RequiredFieldValidator id="Require1" 
           ControlToValidate="TextBox1"
           EnableClientScript="False"
           Display="Dynamic" 
           ErrorMessage="No number entered!!"
           Text="*"
           runat="server"/>

      <br><br>

      <asp:Button id="Button1"
           Text="Submit"
           OnClick="Button_Click"
           runat="server"/>
 
      <br><br>
       
      <asp:Label id="lblOutput" 
           Font-Name="verdana" 
           Font-Size="10pt" 
           runat="server"/>

      <br><br>

      <asp:ValidationSummary
           id="Summary1"
           runat="server"/>
 
   </form>
 
</body>
</html>


[C#] 
<%@ Page Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="True" %>

<html>
<head>
   <script runat="server">
 
      void Button_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e) 
      {

         Random rand_number = new Random();

         Compare1.ValueToCompare = rand_number.Next(1, 10).ToString();
         Compare1.Validate();
 
         if (Page.IsValid) 
         {
            lblOutput.Text = "You guessed correctly!!";
         }
         else 
         {
            lblOutput.Text = "You guessed poorly";
         }

         lblOutput.Text += "<br><br>" + "The number is: " + Compare1.ValueToCompare;

      }
 
   </script>
 
</head>
<body>
 
   <form runat=server>

      <h3>Validator Example</h3>

      <h5>Pick a number between 1 and 10:</h5>
     
      <asp:TextBox id="TextBox1" 
           runat="server"/>

      <asp:CompareValidator id="Compare1" 
           ControlToValidate="TextBox1"
           ValueToCompare="0"
           EnableClientScript="False"  
           Type="Integer"
           Display="Dynamic" 
           ErrorMessage="Incorrect guess!!"
           Text="*"
           runat="server"/>

      <asp:RequiredFieldValidator id="Require1" 
           ControlToValidate="TextBox1"
           EnableClientScript="False"
           Display="Dynamic" 
           ErrorMessage="No number entered!!"
           Text="*"
           runat="server"/>

      <br><br>

      <asp:Button id="Button1"
           Text="Submit"
           OnClick="Button_Click"
           runat="server"/>
 
      <br><br>
       
      <asp:Label id="lblOutput" 
           Font-Name="verdana" 
           Font-Size="10pt" 
           runat="server"/>

      <br><br>

      <asp:ValidationSummary
           id="Summary1"
           runat="server"/>
 
   </form>
 
</body>
</html>


[JScript] 
<%@ Page Language="JScript" AutoEventWireup="True" %>

<html>
<head>
   <script language="JScript" runat="server">
 
      function Button_Click(sender, e : EventArgs) 
      {

         var rand_number : Random  = new Random();

         Compare1.ValueToCompare = rand_number.Next(1, 10).ToString();
         Compare1.Validate();
 
         if (Page.IsValid) 
         {
            lblOutput.Text = "You guessed correctly!!";
         }
         else 
         {
            lblOutput.Text = "You guessed poorly";
         }

         lblOutput.Text += "<br><br>" + "The number is: " + Compare1.ValueToCompare;

      }
 
   </script>
 
</head>
<body>
 
   <form runat=server>

      <h3>Validator Example</h3>

      <h5>Pick a number between 1 and 10:</h5>

      <asp:RequiredFieldValidator id="Require1" 
           ControlToValidate="TextBox1"
           Type="Integer" 
           ErrorMessage="No number entered!!"
           Text="*"
           runat="server"/>
     
      <asp:TextBox id="TextBox1" 
           runat="server"/>

      <asp:CompareValidator id="Compare1" 
           ControlToValidate="TextBox1"
           ValueToCompare="0"
           EnableClientScript="False"  
           Type="Integer" 
           ErrorMessage="Incorrect guess!!"
           Text="*"
           runat="server"/>

      <br><br>

      <asp:Button id="Button1"
           Text="Submit"
           OnClick="Button_Click"
           runat="server"/>
 
      <br><br>
       
      <asp:Label id="lblOutput" 
           Font-Name="verdana" 
           Font-Size="10pt" 
           runat="server"/>

      <br><br>

      <asp:ValidationSummary
           id="Summary1"
           runat="server"/>
 
   </form>
 
</body>
</html>

[C++] No example is available for C++. To view a Visual Basic, C#, or JScript example, click the Language Filter button Language Filter in the upper-left corner of the page.

Requirements

Platforms: Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003 family

See Also

BaseValidator Class | BaseValidator Members | System.Web.UI.WebControls Namespace | String.Empty | RequiredFieldValidator

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