Class DataValidation

Represents a data validation rule. A data validation rule can be applied to a range of cells. The rule specifies the type of data that can be entered in the cells of the range. Additionally, the rule can limit the values to values in a list of allowable values that is specified by the user.

Inheritance

System.Object

DataValidation

Namespace: IronXL.DataValidations

Assembly: IronXL.dll

Syntax

public class DataValidation : Object

DataValidation is the rule a developer reads back to see how a worksheet restricts what a user may type into a cell. It describes one validation constraint: the kind of data allowed, the comparison and bounds it must satisfy, and the prompt and error messages Excel shows. It is what a developer inspects behind a search like "C# Excel data validation rule".

A DataValidation is created indirectly. The worksheet's DataValidations collection exposes typed factory methods such as AddIntegerRule, AddDecimalRule, AddDateRule, AddTextLengthRule, AddStringListRule, and AddFormulaListRule that build the rule and attach it to a range. The properties on the resulting DataValidation then describe and refine that rule, and Remove takes the same object back out of the collection.

The properties fall into three groups. The constraint group sets what is valid: ConstraintType names the data kind (whole number, decimal, date, list, and similar), ComparisonOperator from the IronXL.DataValidations.ComparisonOperator set chooses the test such as Between or GreaterThan, and Formula1 and Formula2 carry the bounds, with Formula2 used by range operators. ConstrainedRangeAddress reports the cells the rule covers and EmptyCellAllowed decides whether a blank passes. The prompt group, ShowPromptBox, PromptBoxTitle, and PromptBoxText, sets the hint shown when a cell is selected. The error group, ShowErrorBox, ErrorBoxTitle, ErrorBoxText, and ErrorAlert, sets the message and its severity when an entry is rejected, and ShowDropDownList toggles the in-cell picker for list rules. Note that this ComparisonOperator is the data validation type, separate from the same-named operator in IronXL.Formatting.Enums used for conditional formatting.

using IronXL;
using IronXL.DataValidations;

WorkSheet sheet = WorkBook.Create().DefaultWorkSheet;
DataValidation rule =
    sheet.DataValidations.AddIntegerRule("A1:A10", ComparisonOperator.Between, 1, 100);
rule.ErrorBoxText = "Enter a value from 1 to 100.";

The data validation example shows rule-driven cell handling, the select range how-to covers the ranges a rule targets, and the set cell data format how-to covers related cell controls.

Properties

ComparisonOperator

The operator used by the data validation rule. This property is only used for whole number, decimal, date, time, and text length data validation rules. For all other types of data validation rules, this property returns IronXL.DataValidations.ComparisonOperator.None.

Declaration

public ComparisonOperator ComparisonOperator { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
ComparisonOperator

ConstrainedRangeAddress

The range of cells to which this data validation rule applies.

Declaration

public RangeAddress ConstrainedRangeAddress { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
RangeAddress

ConstraintType

The type of data validation rule.

Declaration

public ConstraintType ConstraintType { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
ConstraintType

EmptyCellAllowed

Controlls wether the empty cell is allowed by the data validation rule.

Declaration

public bool EmptyCellAllowed { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
System.Boolean

ErrorAlert

The style of error alert used by the data validation rule.

• Stop Displays an error alert dialog box with a Stop icon in its title bar.
• Warning Displays an error alert dialog box with a Warning icon in its title bar.
• Information Displays an error alert dialog box with an Information icon in its title bar.

Declaration

public ErrorAlert ErrorAlert { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
ErrorAlert

ErrorBoxText

The text of the error alert dialog box.

Declaration

public string ErrorBoxText { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
System.String

ErrorBoxTitle

The title of the error alert dialog box.

Declaration

public string ErrorBoxTitle { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
System.String

Formula1

The first formula used by the data validation rule. For list data validation rules, this formula specifies the list of allowable values. For Custom data validation rules, this formula specifies the custom validation formula.

Declaration

public string Formula1 { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
System.String

Formula2

The second formula used by the data validation rule. This formula is only used by whole number, decimal, date, time, and text length data validation rules. For all other types of data validation rules, this property returns System.String.Empty or null.

Declaration

public string Formula2 { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
System.String

PromptBoxText

The title of the prompt box.

Declaration

public string PromptBoxText { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
System.String

PromptBoxTitle

The text of the prompt box.

Declaration

public string PromptBoxTitle { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
System.String

ShowDropDownList

Controlls wether the dropdown arrow is shown in the cell. This property is only used for list and custom data validation rules. It will return false for all other types of data validation rules.

Declaration

public bool ShowDropDownList { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
System.Boolean

ShowErrorBox

Controlls wether the error alert is shown when the data validation rule is violated.

Declaration

public bool ShowErrorBox { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
System.Boolean

ShowPromptBox

Controlls wether the prompt box is shown when the cell is selected.

Declaration

public bool ShowPromptBox { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
System.Boolean

Methods

Equals(Object)

An override for the System.Object.ToString method.

Declaration

public override bool Equals(object obj)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
System.Object	obj	An object to compare with this instance.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	true if obj is equal to this instance; otherwise, false.

GetHashCode()

An override for the System.Object.GetHashCode method.

Declaration

public override int GetHashCode()

Returns

Type	Description
System.Int32	A hash code for this instance.