I did something similar using XML to create runtime controls
The easiest way I've found is to create custom controls to simplify validation.
I also collect details regarding controls to be able to return the value of fields in webservice
This is how i achieve this
public bool IsFieldValid()
{
Error.SetError(label, "");
if (_Validate.Length == 0)
{
return true;
}
else
{
switch (_Validate)
{
case "General":
return ValidateText();
case "Int":
return ValidateInt();
case "Decimal":
return ValidateDecimal();
case "Length":
return ValidateTextLength();
default:
return true;
}
}
}
public bool ValidateText()
{
this.shapeContainer1.BackColor = this.BackColor;
if (_CanBeNull == true & this.textBox.Text.Trim() == "")
{
return true;
}
else
{
if (this.textBox.Text.Trim().Length > 0)
{
return true;
}
else
{
Error.SetError(label, CustomError);
return false;
}
}
}
public bool ValidateDecimal()
{
if (_CanBeNull == true & this.textBox.Text.Trim() == "")
{
return true;
}
else
{
try
{
this.textBox.Text = this.textBox.Text.Replace("£", "");
Decimal Val = System.Convert.ToDecimal(this.textBox.Text);
if (_MaxValue == 0)
{
return true;
}
if ((Val >= _MinValue) && (Val <= _MaxValue))
{
return true;
}
else
{
this.Error.SetError(this.label, "Value must be between " + _MinValue.ToString() + " and " + _MaxValue);
return false;
}
}
catch
{
this.Error.SetError(this.label, "Error converting value to a decimal value");
return false;
}
}
}
public bool ValidateInt()
{
if (_CanBeNull == true & this.textBox.Text.Trim() == "")
{
return true;
}
else
{
try
{
int Val = System.Convert.ToInt32(this.textBox.Text);
if (_MaxValue == 0)
{
return true;
}
if ((Val >= _MinValue) && (Val <= _MaxValue))
{
return true;
}
else
{
this.Error.SetError(label,"Value must be between " + _MinValue.ToString() + " and " + _MaxValue);
return false;
}
}
catch
{
this.Error.SetError(label,"Error converting value to a numeric value");
return false;
}
}
}
public bool ValidateTextLength()
{
if (_CanBeNull == true & this.textBox.Text.Trim() == "")
{
return true;
}
else
{
int Val = this.textBox.Text.Length;
if ((Val >= _MinValue) && (Val <= _MaxValue))
{
return true;
}
else
{
this.Error.SetError(label,"Length of text must be between " + _MinValue.ToString() + " and " + _MaxValue);
return false;
}
}
}
public String TxtReturnXML
{
get {
string S;
XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();
XmlNode Xe = doc.CreateNode(XmlNodeType.Element,"Value",null);
Xe.InnerText = this.textBox.Text.ToString();
S = Xe.OuterXml;
doc = null;
Xe = null;
return S;
}
}
public bool LoadedXml(XmlNode X)
{
try
{
_Validate = X.Attributes["Validate"].Value;
this.textBox.Text = X.Attributes["DefaultValue"].Value.ToString();
this.label.Text = X.Attributes["LabelText"].Value.ToString();
if (System.Convert.ToInt32(X.Attributes["Height"].Value) > 0)
{
this.Height = System.Convert.ToInt32(X.Attributes["Height"].Value) + 10;
textBox.Multiline = true;
this.textBox.Height = System.Convert.ToInt32(X.Attributes["Height"].Value);
}
if (System.Convert.ToInt32(X.Attributes["Width"].Value) > 0)
{
this.textBox.Width = System.Convert.ToInt32(X.Attributes["Width"].Value);
this.textBox.Left = (this.Width - 20) - System.Convert.ToInt32(X.Attributes["Width"].Value);
}
_CanBeNull = System.Convert.ToBoolean(X.Attributes["CanBeNull"].Value);
_PassBack = System.Convert.ToBoolean(X.Attributes["PassBack"].Value);
CustomError = X.Attributes["CustomError"].Value.ToString();
CustomWarning = X.Attributes["CustomWarning"].Value.ToString();
if (CustomWarning.Length > 0)
{
Error.SetError(label, CustomWarning);
}
_MinValue = System.Convert.ToInt32(X.Attributes["MinValue"].Value);
_MaxValue = System.Convert.ToInt32(X.Attributes["MaxValue"].Value);
}
catch {
return false;
}
_LoadedXml = X;
return true;
}
You can also add event handlers to check for a specific event (e.g. blur)
Hope this helps
Sp