How to do Integer model validation in asp.net mvc 2

Question

I have a registration form and the user must enter the square footage of their house. I would like this value to be only an integer. Is there a way to validate this value using attributes asp.net mvc?

Answer 1

yes, it is, but you will have to make a flat version of the object you are wanting to create, because the validation with attributes only runs AFTER MVC has converted your data into the model. which, when your value is an int, will fail to validate if the user did not enter an int, and you will get a MVC error message in stead of your errormessage.

can you post the object you are wanting to make?

with a flat version i mean all datetimes and ints are stings in the flat version.

then i use this:

    [DisplayName("Square meters")]
    [PosNumberNoZero(ErrorMessage = "need a positive number, bigger than 0")]
    public string squaremeters { get; set; }

in the same file

public class PosNumberNoZeroAttribute : ValidationAttribute {
    public override bool IsValid(object value) {
        if (value == null) {
            return true;
        }
        int getal;
        if (int.TryParse(value.ToString(), out getal)) {

            if (getal == 0)
                return false;

            if (getal > 0)
                return true;
        }
        return false;

    }
}

if my modelstate is valid then, i use AutoMapper to convert my FlatModel into my Model, which is just 2 lines of code.

edit: if 0 is a valid number:

public class PosNumberAttribute : ValidationAttribute {
    public override bool IsValid(object value) {
        if (value == null) {
            return true;
        }
        int getal;
        if (int.TryParse(value.ToString(), out getal)) {

            if (getal >= 0)
                return true;
        }
        return false;
    }
}