How do I validate multiple asp.net checkboxes in C#

Question

I have spent a lot of time trying to get 4 checkboxes to validate in a web application. This web app has already been written, and uses checkboxes when it probably should use a checkboxlist. However, I believe it will be an inordinate amount of work to change all of the existing code, so being able to validate the existing 4 boxes would save me a total re-write.

I have been through stackoverflow looking for the answer for two days, and I found several answers that will help me if I have a single checkbox, but I can't get anything to work if I have multiple, and I just want to validate a single box.

Below is the checkbox info for the ascx form:

                                        </asp:Panel>
                                    <cc1:PopupControlExtender ID="PopupControlExtender1" PopupControlID="PanelTypeOwnership"
                                        runat="server" TargetControlID="helpTypeOwnership" Position="Left">
                                    </cc1:PopupControlExtender>
                                                <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Type of Ownership:</strong></td> 
                                            <td class="style12">
                                                &nbsp;</td>
                                            <td class="style11">
                                            </td>
                                            <td>
                                                <strong>
                                                            <div class="textBoxImg" id="helpTypeOwnership" runat="server" style="width: 24px;
                                                                float: right;">
                                                            </div>

                                                </strong>
                                            </td>
                                        </tr> 
                                        <tr>
                                            <td style="padding-left: 2px;" class="style2">
                                                    <asp:CheckBox ID="chbAgricultural" runat="server" CssClass="texLabel" Text="&nbsp;&nbsp;Agricultural/Horticultural Society"
                                BorderStyle="None" Width="260px" />
                                            </td>
                                            <asp:CustomValidator runat="server" ID="validateCheckBoxes" EnableClientScript="true"
                                            OnServerValidate="validateCheckBoxes_ServerValidate"
                                            ClientValidationFunction="validateCheckBoxes_ServerValidate">Please select a type of ownership.</asp:CustomValidator>
                                            <td valign="middle" align="left" class="style10">
                            <asp:CheckBox ID="chbEnducational" runat="server" CssClass="texLabel" 
                                Text="&nbsp;&nbsp;Educational" />
                                    </td> 
                                            <td class="style12">
                            <asp:CheckBox ID="chbReligious" runat="server" CssClass="texLabel" 
                                Text="&nbsp;&nbsp;Religious" />
                                            </td>
                                            <td class="style11">
                            <asp:CheckBox ID="chbCharitable" runat="server" CssClass="texLabel" 
                                Text="&nbsp;&nbsp;Charitable" />
                                            </td>
                                        </tr> </table>
                                        <div style="height: 39px;">
                                        </div>

The code relating to the checkbox validation on the ascx.cs form is:

    protected void validateCheckBoxes_ServerValidate(object source, ServerValidateEventArgs args)
{
    if (!chbAgricultural.Checked && !chbEnducational.Checked && !chbReligious.Checked && !chbReligious.Checked)
        args.IsValid = false;
    else
        args.IsValid = true;
}

The code for the submit button is:

    protected void lbnSubmit_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)              

        {
          if (Page.IsValid)
        {


        MembershipUser mUser = Membership.GetUser(Page.User.Identity.Name);
        if (mUser == null) return;


        DateTime dateT = Convert.ToDateTime(TextBoxDateWrite.Text);
        FairShareApplication451a.changeStatusToVoid(new Guid(mUser.ProviderUserKey.ToString()), GetParcelId());
        FairShareApplication451a apl451a = FairShareApplication451a.CreateApplication451a(new Guid(mUser.ProviderUserKey.ToString()),
               lblNumberApplication.Text, TextBoxCounty.TextBoxText, TextBoxTaxyear.TextBoxText, TextBoxContactName.TextBoxText, TextBoxContactPhone.TextBoxText, TextBoxStateIncorporated.TextBoxText,    //
            GetParcelId(), chbAgricultural.Checked, chbEnducational.Checked, chbReligious.Checked, chbCharitable.Checked, TextBoxOrganizationName.TextBoxText, TextBoxPropOwnerName.TextBoxText,//
            TextBoxMailingAddress.TextBoxText,
            TextBoxCity.TextBoxText, DDListControl2.SelectedValue, TextBoxZipCode.TextBoxText, //TextBoxState.TextBoxText
            TextBoxPropertyDescriptions.TextBoxText,
            TextBoxAuthorizedSignature.Text, TextBoxTitle.Text, dateT, "Not Reviewed",
            PropertyAddress.TextBoxText, PropertyCity.TextBoxText, PropertyState.SelectedValue, PropertyZip.TextBoxText); // Convert.ToDateTime(TextBoxDateWrite.Text)

        //save uploaded files
        SaveUploadedFiles(apl451a.Id);
        FileUploader1.ResetControl();

        MailSend m_snd = new MailSend(Server, Request);
        m_snd.SendMessage(apl451a.UserId, FairShare.MailSend.mailType.received);
        Response.Redirect("~/securezone/CurrentApplications.aspx");
        //       ClearAll();
        }
}

I am sure I am missing something. I am still able to submit forms without checking any boxes. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Note: I am aware educational is spelled incorrectly. I inherited this site --I just haven't gotten around to changing it in all of the relevant places.

Are you saying that you require at least one checkbox to be checked for the form to be valid? — Andrew Morton
– Andrew Morton, Commented Apr 8, 2014 at 19:45
Yes, that is correct. If they want to click all 4, that's fine, but I want at least one to be checked. — ChrisW
– ChrisW, Commented Apr 8, 2014 at 19:49

Raja Nadar · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-08 19:57:07Z

2

Another option is to create a property on the ASCX user control

public bool IsOneCheckboxChecked
{
 get
 {
  return (chbAgricultural.Checked || chbEnducational.Checked || chbReligious.Checked || chbCharitable.Checked);
 }
}

You can then remove this method: (and maybe avoid a postback in the process)

protected void validateCheckBoxes_ServerValidate

and when it is time to submit the form, check:

if (userControlInstance.IsOneCheckboxChecked) 
{
 // good to go.
}

answered Apr 8, 2014 at 19:57

Raja Nadar

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2 Comments

ChrisW Over a year ago

Are you saying add If (userControlInstance.IsOneCheckboxChecked) in place of if (Page.IsValid) on the button?

Raja Nadar Over a year ago

nope.. i'm saying 'add this userControlInstance.IsOneCheckboxChecked' check to your other Valid checks..

Andrew Morton · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-08 19:52:51Z

1

To check if one or more of the checkboxes is checked, you just need

args.IsValid = (chbAgricultural.Checked || chbEnducational.Checked || chbReligious.Checked || chbCharitable.Checked)

(you had chbReligious in there twice).

And I'm fairly sure you need to tie the CustomValidator to a Control to check, unless there is something else in the page which isn't shown.

answered Apr 8, 2014 at 19:52

Andrew Morton

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1 Comment

Craig Over a year ago

In my experience, you don't NEED to set the ControlToValidate property for the CustomValidator, unless you want to set it as dynamic and have it fire automatically when the user blurs from the control. Although, it might be a good practice to set the property for the validator. YMMV

E-Bat · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-08 21:26:33Z

0

Why to give up with client side validation? In your CustomValidator you have: OnServerValidate="validateCheckBoxes_ServerValidate" and
ClientValidationFunction="validateCheckBoxes_ServerValidate"

You have ClientValidationFunction pointing to the same server function. Try something like the following: ClientValidationFunction="validateCheckBoxes_CLIENTValidate"

Being the client function something like this:

<script type="text/jscript">
    function validateCheckBoxes_CLIENTValidate(sender, e) {
        e.IsValid = jQuery(".texLabel input:checkbox").is(':checked');
    }
</script>

If you cannot resolve multiple checkbox values by css class name you can take a look to this link

edited Apr 8, 2014 at 21:26

answered Apr 8, 2014 at 21:13

E-Bat

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6 Comments

ChrisW Over a year ago

The web app is just ignoring this change as well. It's submitting the forms anyway. I have tried this as a script on the ascx page and in a js scrip that is called from the ascx page.

E-Bat Over a year ago

Did you take a look to the link i provided?

ChrisW Over a year ago

Yes, that would be the proper way to fix it -- just change everything to a checkbox list and validate the list. I was trying to avoid that, but I have come to the conclusion that with this particular web app, that will likely be my only option.

E-Bat Over a year ago

Inspect the checkboxes in the browser and check the id of the rendered asp:CheckBoxList and just for test purpose hardcode that id in the function

ChrisW Over a year ago

The problem I have is that this isn't set up as a CheckBoxList, it is set up as separate Checkboxes. To change it to a list, I will have to change all of the code associated with the boxes, and rearrange the form.

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