I'm creating a program in C# using WPF that will generate a PDF of a sale sign for a retail store (just practice). Since it is a sale sign, I need the user to enter a date to represent the end of the sale. I'm using the datepicker control to do this. I would like to use some binding validation to check two things:

  • A date is entered
  • That date is either today or some point in the future

I'm somewhat new to C# and WPF, so I'll provide an example of the type of validation I'm using in case there are other ways to do it:

I also have text boxes that have functioning binding. Here is the xaxml for one of those text boxes:

<TextBox Name="title" Style="{StaticResource errorStyle}" Height="24" HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" Margin="6,8,6,0" VerticalAlignment="Top" Grid.Column="1">
     <Binding Source="{StaticResource signData}" Path="SignTitle" UpdateSourceTrigger="Explicit">
          <Binding.ValidationRules>
               <ExceptionValidationRule/>
          </Binding.ValidationRules>
     </Binding>
</TextBox>

And the corresponding class that models the data:

class SignOrder
{
     ...
     public string SignTitle
     {
          get { return this.signTitle; }
          set
          {
               if ( (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(value)) || (value.Length >= 20) )
               {
                    throw new ApplicationException("Specify a title of less than 20 characters");
               }
               else
               {
                    this.signTitle = value;
               }
          }
     }
     ...
}

Do I need to create a converter class to work with the date? What would be the best way to validate the datepicker? What datatype is the value of the datepicker (string, int, date, ...)?

Thanks

hummm
for valdation of datetimepicker write code on the dtppicker of change event
for eg. it sholud be today or greater then today

dtp.value <= Now.Date \\\dtp is name of control

You need to implements System.ComponentModel.IDataErrorInfo interface.

namespace wpfdatetimevalidation
{
    public class DateValidation : System.ComponentModel.IDataErrorInfo
    {

        public string Date { get; set; }

        #region IDataErrorInfo Members

        public string Error
        {
            get { return null; }
        }

        public string this[string columnName]
        {
            get
            {
                string result = null;

                if (columnName == "Date")
                {
                    DateTime dt;
                    DateTime.TryParse(Date, out dt);
                    if (dt == DateTime.MinValue || dt < DateTime.Now)
                        result = "Not a valid date";
                }
                return result;
            }
        }

        #endregion
    }
}

xaml markup

<Window x:Class="wpfdatetimevalidation.Window2"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    Title="Window2" Height="300" Width="300"
         
        xmlns:src="clr-namespace:wpfdatetimevalidation"
        >
    <Window.Resources>
        <src:DateValidation x:Key="data"/>
        <Style x:Key="DateInputError" TargetType="TextBox">
            <Style.Triggers>
                <Trigger Property="Validation.HasError" Value="true">
                    <Setter Property="ToolTip"
                            Value="{Binding RelativeSource={x:Static RelativeSource.Self},
                        Path=(Validation.Errors)[0].ErrorContent}"/>
                </Trigger>
            </Style.Triggers>
        </Style>
    </Window.Resources>
     
    
    <StackPanel Margin="20">
        <TextBlock>Enter Date </TextBlock>
        <TextBox Style="{StaticResource DateInputError}">
            <TextBox.Text>
              
                <Binding Path="Date" Source="{StaticResource data}"
                         ValidatesOnDataErrors="True"   
                         UpdateSourceTrigger="PropertyChanged">
                    <Binding.ValidationRules>
                         <ExceptionValidationRule/>
                    </Binding.ValidationRules>
                </Binding>
            </TextBox.Text>
        </TextBox>
    </StackPanel>
</Window>

You need to implements System.ComponentModel.IDataErrorInfo interface.

namespace wpfdatetimevalidation
{
    public class DateValidation : System.ComponentModel.IDataErrorInfo
    {

        public string Date { get; set; }

        #region IDataErrorInfo Members

        public string Error
        {
            get { return null; }
        }

        public string this[string columnName]
        {
            get
            {
                string result = null;

                if (columnName == "Date")
                {
                    DateTime dt;
                    DateTime.TryParse(Date, out dt);
                    if (dt == DateTime.MinValue || dt < DateTime.Now)
                        result = "Not a valid date";
                }
                return result;
            }
        }

        #endregion
    }
}

xaml markup

<Window x:Class="wpfdatetimevalidation.Window2"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    Title="Window2" Height="300" Width="300"
         
        xmlns:src="clr-namespace:wpfdatetimevalidation"
        >
    <Window.Resources>
        <src:DateValidation x:Key="data"/>
        <Style x:Key="DateInputError" TargetType="TextBox">
            <Style.Triggers>
                <Trigger Property="Validation.HasError" Value="true">
                    <Setter Property="ToolTip"
                            Value="{Binding RelativeSource={x:Static RelativeSource.Self},
                        Path=(Validation.Errors)[0].ErrorContent}"/>
                </Trigger>
            </Style.Triggers>
        </Style>
    </Window.Resources>
     
    
    <StackPanel Margin="20">
        <TextBlock>Enter Date </TextBlock>
        <TextBox Style="{StaticResource DateInputError}">
            <TextBox.Text>
              
                <Binding Path="Date" Source="{StaticResource data}"
                         ValidatesOnDataErrors="True"   
                         UpdateSourceTrigger="PropertyChanged">
                    <Binding.ValidationRules>
                         <ExceptionValidationRule/>
                    </Binding.ValidationRules>
                </Binding>
            </TextBox.Text>
        </TextBox>
    </StackPanel>
</Window>
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