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Asked: 2026-05-11T07:27:28+00:00

Currently I am working with a custom regular expression validator (unfortunately) . I am

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Currently I am working with a custom regular expression validator (unfortunately).

I am trying to set the Regex pattern using a server side inline script like this:

ValidationExpression='<%= RegExStrings.SomePattern %>'

However, the script is not resolving to server side code. Instead it is being interpreted literally and I end up with something like this in the rendered markup:

ctl00_DefaultContent_regexValidatorInvitation.validationexpression = '<%= RegExStrings.SomePattern %>';

Any clues as to why this is not resolving properly?

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1 Answer

  1. This has now been cleared up my MS. The issue I discovered was caused by the fact that the ‘action’ attribute in server forms had no effect prior to .NET 2 SP2, but now can be set. Code render blocks have never worked in attribute values – this is explained towards the end of this post.

    This was a consequence of a deliberate change in behaviour introduced in Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. Prior to the service pack, action and method attributes on server side FORM tags could not be over-ridden. If specified they would be replaced by ASP.NET with ‘POST’ and ‘page name’.

    Previously, the ASP.NET page parser did not prevent one specifying these attributes although the documentation advised against it for the action attribute: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/k33801s3.aspx

    In particular the comment (in the context of the FORM element):

    • ‘The opening tag must not contain an action attribute. ASP.NET sets these attributes dynamically when the page is processed, overriding any settings that you might make. ‘

    The issue that was originally reported by Josh, where the code block was not being interpreted is not new behaviour but is a known bug – code render blocks cannot be used within server control attributes. This is reported as a ‘Connect’ bug: http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=109257 which contains the following: ‘ Attributes of server controls cannot take an inline expression as value. This explains the unexpected behaviour as seen with: ‘ <link href='<%=RootPath %> …’ However, inline code can be used for values of attributes.’

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