How to not show BaseValidator.Text when using a ValidationSummary in ASP.NET

Question

I'm using a bunch of different asp.net validation controls on a web form. Some of these have their Text property set to things like "* Error" or "You missed these fields".

However, a few of the CustomValidator controls have blank Text properties. I left them blank on purpose because I'm adding the ErrorMessage dynamically depending on which case fails. (A CustomValidator may have many different conditions upon which I set args.IsValid = false)

When an error occurs, the ErrorMessage property that I set is shown both in the ValidationSummary and inside the Validator control. I don't want that. I want to be able to just show the ErrorMessage in the ValidationSummary and not in the BaseValidator.Text property.

My first try was to set the Text property to be a space " ". That didn't work.

What I implemented (for now) is a period that is shown as the same color of the background. It's a hack - and I don't like it. Heck, maybe that's why I'm here!

Here's the code:

<asp:CustomValidator ID="StackOverflowValidator" runat="server" 
    Text="." 
    CssClass="validatorstyle"
    Display="Dynamic" 
    OnServerValidate="validate_AllowedToDoSomething" 
    ValidationGroup="MainGroup" />

<asp:ValidationSummary ID="mainGroupValidationSummary" runat="server" 
    ValidationGroup="MainGroup" 
    DisplayMode="BulletList" 
    HeaderText="There was an error in saving.  Please check the following:" />

Inside validate_AllowedToDoSomething I call:

StackOverflowValidator.ErrorMessage = "Custom Error Message #1";
args.IsValid = false;
return;

What I get is "Custom Error Message #1" twice on the web form. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

just set the display="none" instead of "dynamic" on the basevalidator and that should solve it.