Validation firing too early - wpf

Question

I have built a base class for my view model(s). Here is some of the code:
public class BaseViewModel<TModel> : DependencyObject, INotifyPropertyChanged, IDisposable, IBaseViewModel<TModel>, IDataErrorInfo
{
public TModel Model { get; set; }
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected virtual void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
if (this.PropertyChanged != null)
{
this.PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
public void Dispose()
{
Dispose(true);
GC.SuppressFinalize(this);
}
protected virtual void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
if (this._disposed)
{
return;
}
if (disposing)
{
this.Model = default(TModel);
}
this._disposed = true;
}
}
Okay, so I thought, let's add some validation to the base class, which led me to the following article: Prism IDataErrorInfo validation with DataAnnotation on ViewModel Entities. So I added the following methods / properties (IDataErrorInfo) to my base class:
string IDataErrorInfo.Error
{
get { return null; }
}
string IDataErrorInfo.this[string columnName]
{
get { return ValidateProperty(columnName); }
}
protected virtual string ValidateProperty(string columnName)
{
// get cached property accessors
var propertyGetters = GetPropertyGetterLookups(GetType());
if (propertyGetters.ContainsKey(columnName))
{
// read value of given property
var value = propertyGetters[columnName](this);
// run validation
var results = new List<ValidationResult>();
var vc = new ValidationContext(this, null, null) { MemberName = columnName };
Validator.TryValidateProperty(value, vc, results);
// transpose results
var errors = Array.ConvertAll(results.ToArray(), o => o.ErrorMessage);
return string.Join(Environment.NewLine, errors);
}
return string.Empty;
}
private static Dictionary<string, Func<object, object>> GetPropertyGetterLookups(Type objType)
{
var key = objType.FullName ?? "";
if (!PropertyLookupCache.ContainsKey(key))
{
var o = objType.GetProperties()
.Where(p => GetValidations(p).Length != 0)
.ToDictionary(p => p.Name, CreatePropertyGetter);
PropertyLookupCache[key] = o;
return o;
}
return (Dictionary<string, Func<object, object>>)PropertyLookupCache[key];
}
private static Func<object, object> CreatePropertyGetter(PropertyInfo propertyInfo)
{
var instanceParameter = System.Linq.Expressions.Expression.Parameter(typeof(object), "instance");
var expression = System.Linq.Expressions.Expression.Lambda<Func<object, object>>(
System.Linq.Expressions.Expression.ConvertChecked(
System.Linq.Expressions.Expression.MakeMemberAccess(
System.Linq.Expressions.Expression.ConvertChecked(instanceParameter, propertyInfo.DeclaringType),
propertyInfo),
typeof(object)),
instanceParameter);
var compiledExpression = expression.Compile();
return compiledExpression;
}
private static ValidationAttribute[] GetValidations(PropertyInfo property)
{
return (ValidationAttribute[])property.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(ValidationAttribute), true);
}
Okay, this brings me to the issue. The thing is the validation works perfectly, but lets say I have a property (within my view model called: Person) with a StringLength attribute. The StringLength attribute fires as soon as the application is opened. The user didn't even have a chance to do anything. The validation fires as soon as the application is started.
public class PersonViewModel : BaseViewModel<BaseProxyWrapper<PosServiceClient>>
{
private string _password = string.Empty;
[StringLength(10, MinimumLength = 3, ErrorMessage = "Password must be between 3 and 10 characters long")]
public string Password
{
get { return this._password; }
set
{
if (this._password != value)
{
this._password = value;
this.OnPropertyChanged("Password");
}
}
}
}
I have noticed that this is caused by the IDataErrorInfo.this[string columnName] property, and in turn it calls the ValidateProperty method. But, I have no idea how to fix this?

Answer 1

There could be two issues...
Do you populate yopur Person instance by using the public properties?
e.g.
new Person { Password = null }
This will fire the property changed notification for Password and will validate it.
Some developers also set the properties in constructors...
public class Person {
public Person() {
this.Password = null;
}
}
Recommended practise is to use private fields...
public class Person {
public Person() {
_password = null;
}
public Person(string pwd) {
_password = pwd;
}
}
OR
You can create a flag in our view model base say IsLoaded. Make sure you set it to true only after your UI is loaded (probably in UI.Loaded event). In your IDataErrorInfo.this[string columnName] check if this property is true and only then validate the values. Otherwise return null.
[EDIT]
The following change did the job:
public class PersonViewModel : BaseViewModel<BaseProxyWrapper<PosServiceClient>>
{
private string _password;
[StringLength(10, MinimumLength = 3, ErrorMessage = "Password must be between 3 and 10 characters long")]
public string Password
{
get { return this._password; }
set
{
if (this._password != value)
{
this._password = value;
this.OnPropertyChanged("Password");
}
}
}
public PersonViewModel(BaseProxyWrapper<PosServiceClient> model)
: base(model)
{
this._username = null;
}
}

Answer 2

Something I've done in the past is change the update source trigger to explicit, create a behavior that will update the source when the TextBox loses focus, and then attach that behavior to the TextBox.