How to implement Custom user defined Age Range Validation / Data Annotations rules in MVC 4 application.

Introduction

In this post, How to implement Custom user defined Age Range Validation / Data Annotations rules in MVC 4 application.
There are many validation attributes available in MVC 4 like required, StringLength, Range, RegularExpression and more but sometimes we may require specific type of validation. In this article, I will explain how you can create your own custom validation attribute for validation Age Range and also how to make it work on client side as well.

Steps :

Step - 1 : Create New Project.

Go to File > New > Project > Select asp.net MVC4 web application > Entry Application Name > Click OK > Select Internet Application > Select view engine Razor > OK

Step-2: Add a Database.

Go to Solution Explorer > Right Click on App_Data folder > Add > New item > Select SQL Server Database Under Data > Enter Database name > Add.

Step-3: Create table for save data.

Open Database > Right Click on Table > Add New Table > Add Columns > Save > Enter table name > Ok.
In this example, I have used one tables as below

Step-4: Add Entity Data Model.

Go to Solution Explorer > Right Click on Project name form Solution Explorer > Add > New item > Select ADO.net Entity Data Model under data > Enter model name > Add.
A popup window will come (Entity Data Model Wizard) > Select Generate from database > Next >
Chose your data connection > select your database > next > Select tables > enter Model Namespace > Finish.

Step-5: Add a new class for create custom validation rule.

write the following code in this class.
We need to import following namespace

            using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
            using System.Web.Mvc;

            public class AgeRangeValidation : ValidationAttribute, IClientValidatable
    {
 
        public int MinAge { get; set; }
        public int MaxAge { get; set; }
 
        protected override ValidationResult IsValid(object value, ValidationContext validationContext)
        {
            //THIS IS FOR SERVER SIDE VALIDATION
 
            // if value not supplied then no error return
            if (value == null)
            {
                return null;
            }
 
            int age = 0;
            age = DateTime.Now.Year - Convert.ToDateTime(value).Year;
            if (age >= MinAge && age <= MaxAge)
            {
                return null; // Validation success
            }
            else
            {
                return new ValidationResult(FormatErrorMessage(validationContext.DisplayName));
                // error 
            }
        }
 
        public IEnumerable<ModelClientValidationRule> GetClientValidationRules(ModelMetadata metadata, ControllerContext context)
        {
            //THIS IS FOR SET VALIDATION RULES CLIENT SIDE
 
            var rule = new ModelClientValidationRule()
            {
                ValidationType = "agerangevalidation",
                ErrorMessage = FormatErrorMessage(metadata.DisplayName)
            };
 
            rule.ValidationParameters["minage"] = MinAge;
            rule.ValidationParameters["maxage"] = MaxAge;
            yield return rule;
        }
    }

Step-6: Add a new js file for apply custom validation rule client side.

Go to Solution Explorer > Right Click on Controllers folder form Solution Explorer > Add > new item > select javascript file > Enter file name > Add.

write the following code in this js file.

// Here I will add code for client side validation for our custom validation (age range validation)
 
$.validator.unobtrusive.adapters.add("agerangevalidation", ["minage", "maxage"], function (options) {
    options.rules["agerangevalidation"] = options.params;
    options.messages["agerangevalidation"] = options.message;
});
 
$.validator.addMethod("agerangevalidation", function (value, elements, params) {
    if (value) {
        var valDate = new Date(value);
        if ((new Date().getFullYear() - valDate.getFullYear()) < parseInt(params.minage) ||
            (new Date().getFullYear() - valDate.getFullYear()) > parseInt(params.maxage)
            ) {
            return false;
            //validation failed
        }
    }
    return true;
});

Step-7: Apply validation on model.

Open your model and add validation. Please follow below code

    public partial class Registration
    {
        public int ID { get; set; }
        [Required(ErrorMessage="Full name required", AllowEmptyStrings=false)]
        public string FullName { get; set; }
        [Required(ErrorMessage="Username required", AllowEmptyStrings=false)]
        public string Username { get; set; }
        [Required(ErrorMessage="Password required", AllowEmptyStrings=false)]
        [DataType( System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.DataType.Password)]
        public string Password { get; set; }
 
        [Required(ErrorMessage="DOB Required", AllowEmptyStrings=false)]
        [DataType( System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.DataType.Date)]
        [DisplayFormat(DataFormatString="{0:dd-MM-yyyy}")]
        //Here I am going to add our custom validation (Age Range validation)
        [AgeRangeValidation(ErrorMessage="Age must be between 18 - 30", MinAge=18, MaxAge=30)]
        public System.DateTime DOB { get; set; }
    }

Step-8: Add a new Controller .

Go to Solution Explorer > Right Click on Controllers folder form Solution Explorer > Add > Controller > Enter Controller name > Select Templete "empty MVC Controller"> Add.

Step-9: Add new action into your controller for Get Method

Here I have added "form" Action into "Registration" Controller. Please write this following code

            public class RegistrationController : Controller
            {
                public ActionResult form()
                {
                    return View();
                }
            }

Step-10: Add view for this Action & design.

Right Click on Action Method (here right click on form action) > Add View... > Enter View Name > Select View Engine (Razor) > Check "Create a strong-typed view" > Select your model class > Add.
HTML Code

            @model MVCCustomValidation.Registration
            @{
                ViewBag.Title = "form";
            }
            <h2>form</h2>
 
            @using (Html.BeginForm()) {
                @Html.ValidationSummary(true)
                if (ViewBag.Message !=null)
                {
                    <div style="padding:5px; width:300px;color:red; border:1px solid green">
                        @ViewBag.Message
                    </div>
                }
                <fieldset>
                    <legend>Registration</legend>
 
                    <div class="editor-label">
                        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.FullName)
                    </div>
                    <div class="editor-field">
                        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.FullName)
                        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.FullName)
                    </div>
 
                    <div class="editor-label">
                        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Username)
                    </div>
                    <div class="editor-field">
                        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Username)
                        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Username)
                    </div>
 
                    <div class="editor-label">
                        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Password)
                    </div>
                    <div class="editor-field">
                        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Password)
                        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Password)
                    </div>
 
                    <div class="editor-label">
                        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.DOB)
                    </div>
                    <div class="editor-field">
                        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.DOB)
                        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.DOB)
                    </div>
 
                    <p>
                        <input type="submit" value="Create" />
                    </p>
                </fieldset>
            }
 
            <div>
                @Html.ActionLink("Back to List", "Index")
            </div>
 
            @section Scripts {
                @Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval")
                @* Need to add our custom validation js here *@
                <script src="~/Scripts/MyCustomValidation.js"></script>
            }

Step-11: Add new action into your controller for POST Method (for form)

Here I have added "form" Action with Model Parameter (here "Registration") into "Registration" Controller. Please write this following code

            [HttpPost]
            public ActionResult form(Registration r)
            {
                if (ModelState.IsValid)
                {
                    using (MyDatabaseEntities dc = new MyDatabaseEntities())
                    {
                        dc.Registrations.Add(r);
                        dc.SaveChanges();
                        ModelState.Clear();
                        r = null;
                        ViewBag.Message = "Success!";
                    }
                }
                else
                {
                    ViewBag.Message = "Failed!";
                }
                return View(r);
            }

Step-12: Run Application.

Download Application Live Demo

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