Entity validation problem

06-30-2009 7:23 PM |

Inside of the Save() routine in one of my ChildWindows, I have code like this:

if (dataForm.IsItemValid)
{
    _context.SubmitChanges();
    _context.Submitted += (sender, args) =>
        {
            // handle exceptions from submit operation
        };
}

The entity being edited by the DataForm has an "Address" property that points to an Address entity, which has several required fields and is an associated (child) entity.

For some reason, if I fill out a couple of fields on the DataForm and then click OK (without filling out any Address fields), the IsItemValid property returns "true" and tries to save the entity to the server, even though its address in invalid. As a result, I get an exception back from the server. In other cases, however (like if I leave the whole form blank and don't try filling out anything before saving), the IsItemValid property returns the correct value and doesn't try to save the entity (which makes sense since the Address is invalid).

Has anyone else seen this happen?

Re: Entity validation problem

06-30-2009 7:35 PM |

Nothing really to do with the problem you are describing but shouldn't the call to SubmitChanges be after

the event subscription?

_context.Submitted += (sender, args) =>
        {
            // handle exceptions from submit operation
        };
_context.SubmitChanges();

Re: Entity validation problem

07-01-2009 9:45 AM |

It's correct in the actual code. I hand-wrote the snippet in the post yesterday, and I got those two lines backwards.

Also, just for what it's worth to anyone reading this, we're getting ready to ditch the DataForm control and see how difficult it really is to just write our own data entry forms (or use 3rd-party controls) and handle validation ourselves.

Re: Re: Entity validation problem

07-01-2009 1:06 PM |

Thanks! I took your suggestion and tried XAML Power Toys, and that add-in definitely makes things easier. Now the prospect of going without the DataForm doesn't seem as daunting.

The only issue left to solve now is how to duplicate some of the nice eye candy that the DataForm provides when handling validation errors. I'll have to dig in with Reflector and figure out what styles, etc. it's using to provide those nice visual effects.