How to add Data annotation validation in ASP.NET MVC

Updated on August 7, 2015     Kisan Patel

First of all You need to know which namespace or Reference is for DataAnnotation validation in MVC :

using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;

This namespace is already Built-in .NET Framework

Here are some Validation Attributes :

Required, Range, StringLength, RegularExpression, DataType, EmailAddress, Currency, MinLength, MaxLength etc.

Required :

You can use this attribute as

[Required]

[Required(ErrorMessage = "Your Message for Required Field")]

Range :

You can use this attribute as

[Range(1,10 , ErrorMessage = "value must be between 1 to 10")]

StringLength :

You can use this attribute as

[StringLength(5)]

RegularExpression :

You can use this attribute as

[RegularExpression(@"^\(?([0-9]{3})\)?[-. ]?([0-9]{3})[-. ]?([0-9]{4})$", ErrorMessage = "Entered Contact No format is not valid.")]

DataType :

You can use this attribute as

[DataType(DataType.EmailAddress, ErrorMessage = "Error message.")]

Now take a look at an Example

Example :

public class Profile
{
 [Key]
 public int Id { get; set; }
 
 [Required(ErrorMessage = "First Name is Required")]
 [Display(Name = "FirstName")]
 public string FirstName { get; set; }
 
 [Required(ErrorMessage = "Email ID is Required")]
 [DataType(DataType.EmailAddress, ErrorMessage = "Email ID is not valid.")]
 [Display(Name = "Email Id")]
 public string EmailId { get; set; }
 
 [Required(ErrorMessage = "Contact No is Required")]
 [Display(Name = "Contact No")]
 [RegularExpression(@"^\(?([0-9]{3})\)?[-. ]?([0-9]{3})[-. ]?([0-9]{4})$", ErrorMessage = "Entered Contact No format is not valid.")]
 public string ContactNo { get; set; }
 
 [StringLength(5)]
 [Required(ErrorMessage = "Rating is Required")]
 public string Rating { get; set; }
 
 [Required(ErrorMessage = "Age is Required")]
 [Range(1, 100, ErrorMessage = "Age must be between $1 and $100")]
 public decimal Age { get; set; }
}

Now model Profile is created so now how to use it for validation purpose.

Controller page :

[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Create(Profile model)
{
 // and if You want to remove validation for field Id then
 if (ModelState.Keys.Contains("Id"))
 {
 ModelState["Id"].Errors.Clear();
 }
 if (ModelState.IsValid) //this condition is for validation checking on server side
 {
 dbContext.Profile.Add(model);
 dbContext.SaveChanges();
 return RedirectToAction("ProfileList");
 }
 return View(model);
}

Next, in view you can do client-side Validation using JS of jquery which are “jquery.validate.min.js” and “jquery.validate.unobtrusive.min.js”
so add this jQuery in Header (</head>) tag and write this code

@model Mvc.Models.Profile
@{
   ViewBag.Title = "Create";
}
@using (Html.BeginForm())
{
   @Html.ValidationSummary(true)
   <fieldset>
        <legend>Movie</legend>
             <div class="editor-label">
                  @Html.LabelFor(model => model.FirstName)
             </div>
             <div class="editor-field">
                  @Html.EditorFor(model => model.FirstName)
                  @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.FirstName)
             </div>
             <div class="editor-label">
                  @Html.LabelFor(model => model.EmailId)
             </div>
             <div class="editor-field">
                  @Html.EditorFor(model => model.EmailId)
                  @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.EmailId)
             </div>
             <div class="editor-label">
                  @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ContactNo)
             </div>
             <div class="editor-field">
                  @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ContactNo)
                  @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ContactNo)
             </div>
             <div class="editor-label">
                  @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Rating)
             </div>
             <div class="editor-field">
                  @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Rating)
                  @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Rating)
            </div>
            <div class="editor-label">
                  @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Age)
            </div>
            <div class="editor-field">
                  @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Age)
                  @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Age)
            </div>
     <p>
           <input type="submit" value="Submit" class="btn btn-success" />
     </p>
 </fieldset>
}

Now, your coding is done Test your code.

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