The mgiValidateData Tag

Tag Behavior

Use the mgiValidateData tag to check text for specified formats.


Tag Syntax

The mgiValidateData tag has four types. Each type has different required and optional parameters. The mgiValidateData types are:

  • string - Validates text values.
  • integer - Validates integer values.
  • real - Validates real number values.
  • date - Validates date values

String Type

The string type of mgiValidateData has one required parameter and four optional parameters. The tag form is:

<mgiValidateData data="Text" type="string" failureURL="URL" 
format="Format" regularExpression="RE Value">

Required Parameters:

  • data - The data is the text to validate.

Optional Parameters:

  • type - The type is the type of information that is validated. The "string" type validates the format of a text string. "String" is the default type of the mgiValidateData tag. If the data does not match the type given or the data value is empty, then an automatic failure occurs.
  • failureURL - The failureURL is the page where failed validations are redirected. The default behavior is to display the words "invalid data" if the data does not meet the specified criteria and to display the data you are validating if the data does meet the specified criteria.
  • format - The format is the pattern that is validated in the data. The "url" format compares the data to a URL pattern. The "emailAddress" format compares the data to an email address pattern. The "regularExpression format compares the data with the expression provided in the regularExpression parameter. There is no default value.
  • regularExpression - The regularExpression is the regular expression pattern validated in the data. Create a regular expression pattern using regular expression symbols.
  • display - Whether or not the tag should display the result or the "invalid data" message after being processed. Valid values are "yes" and "no". The default value is "yes". (Note: This parameter, if set to "no", should be used in conjunction with the failureURL parameter to catch invalid data.)

Integer Type

The integer type of mgiValidateData has two required parameter and four optional parameters. The tag form is:

<mgiValidateData data="Number" type="integer" failureURL="URL" 
upperBound="Integer" lowerBound="Integer">

Required Parameters:

  • data - The data is the number to validate.
  • type - The type is the type of information that is validated. The "integer" type validates the format of a whole number.

Optional Parameters:

  • failureURL - The failureURL is the page where failed validations are redirected. The default behavior is to display the words "invalid data" if the data does not meet the specified criteria and to display the data you are validating if the data does meet the specified criteria.
  • upperBound - The upperBound is the maximum value of the data.
  • lowerBound - The lowerBound is the minimum value of the data.
  • display - Whether or not the tag should display the result or the "invalid data" message after being processed. Valid values are "yes" and "no". The default value is "yes". (Note: This parameter, if set to "no", should be used in conjunction with the failureURL parameter to catch invalid data.)

Real Type

The real type of mgiValidateData has two required parameter and four optional parameters. The tag form is:

<mgiValidateData data="Number" type="real" failureURL="URL" 
upperBound="Number" lowerBound="Number">

Required Parameters:

  • data - The data is the number to validate.
  • type - The type is the type of information that is validated. The "real" type validates the format of a real number (positive or negative with decimals).

Optional Parameters:

  • failureURL - The failureURL is the page where failed validations are redirected. The default behavior is to display the words "invalid data" if the data does not meet the specified criteria and to display the data you are validating if the data does meet the specified criteria.
  • upperBound - The upperBound is the maximum value of the data.
  • lowerBound - The lowerBound is the minimum value of the data.
  • display - Whether or not the tag should display the result or the "invalid data" message after being processed. Valid values are "yes" and "no". The default value is "yes". (Note: This parameter, if set to "no", should be used in conjunction with the failureURL parameter to catch invalid data.)

Date Type

The date type of mgiValidateData has two required parameter and eight optional parameters. The tag form is:

<mgiValidateData data="Date" type="date" failureURL="URL" 
upperBound="Date" lowerBound="Date" upperSpan="Integer" 
lowerSpan="Integer" 
dateFormat="Format">

Required Parameters:

  • data - The data is the date to validate.
  • type - The type is the type of information that is validated. The "date" type validates the format of a date.

Optional Parameters:

  • failureURL - The failureURL is the page where failed validations are redirected. The default behavior is to display the words "invalid data" if the data does not meet the specified criteria and to display the data you are validating if the data does meet the specified criteria.
  • upperBound - The upperBound is the maximum date of the data. The upperBound date must be in the form mm-dd-yyyy unless specified otherwise in the dateFormat parameter.
  • lowerBound - The lowerBound is the minimum date of the data. The lowerBound date must be in the form mm-dd-yyyy unless specified otherwise in the dateFormat parameter.
  • upperSpan - The upperSpan is the number of days after the current date when the data is valid. The upperSpan value must be a positive integer.
  • lowerSpan - The lowerSpan is the number of days before the current date when the data is valid. The lowerSpan value must be a positive integer.
  • dateFormat - The dateFormat is the required format of the data. Valid values of the dateFormat parameter are "mm-dd-yyyy" and "dd-mm-yyyy". The default value is "mm-dd-yyyy".
  • delimiter - The delimiter that must separate the month, day, and year values. If no delimiter is specified, dashes('-'), back slashes('/'), and periods('.') will be accepted as valid delimiters.
  • display - Whether or not the tag should display the result or the "invalid data" message after being processed. Valid values are "yes" and "no". The default value is "yes". (Note: This parameter, if set to "no", should be used in conjunction with the failureURL parameter to catch invalid data.)


Example Usage and Output

String Type

<mgiValidateData data={mgiPostArgument name="Email"} 
type="string" failureURL="emailerror.mgi" format="emailAddress">

In this example, an email address from a form submission is verified. If the "Email" field is left empty or if the email address is not formatted properly, then the visitor is redirected to the emailerror.mgi page.

Integer Type

<mgiValidateData data={mgiPostArgument name="Quantity"} 
type="integer" failureURL="quantityerror.mgi" lowerBound="1">

In this example, the quantity of a product is verified. The quantity must be a whole number greater than 1, otherwise the visitor is redirected to the quantityerror.mgi page.

Real Type

<mgiValidateData data={mgiPostArgument name="Price"} type="real" 
failureURL="searcherror.mgi" upperBound="1000000.00">

In this example, search criteria for the price of new homes is verified. The entered price must be a real number less than 1 million dollars, otherwise the visitor is redirected to the searcherror.mgi page.

Date Type

<mgiValidateData data={mgiGet name="Appointment Date"} 
type="date" failureURL="daterror.mgi" upperSpan="5">

In this example, an appointment date is verified. The appointment date must be anywhere from the current date to five days after the current date, otherwise the visitor is redirected to the dateerror.mgi page.


Suggested Usage

  • Form Processing
  • Identification Verification


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