Question

Trying to access a RequiredFieldValidator control that’s inside a GridView in the RowCommand event and having trouble.

Here’s the partial GridView code:

<asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Password">
    <ItemTemplate>
        <asp:TextBox ID="txtPassword" runat="server" CssClass="GridViewTextbox" TextMode="Password" Text='<%#Eval("WebPassword") %>' Enabled="false"></asp:TextBox>
    </ItemTemplate>
    <EditItemTemplate>
        <asp:TextBox ID="txtWebPassword" runat="server" TextMode="Password" Text='<%#Eval("WebPassword") %>'></asp:TextBox>
        <asp:RequiredFieldValidator ID="rfvPassword" runat="server" SetFocusOnError="true"
            ControlToValidate="txtWebPassword" Display="None" ErrorMessage='<%# Constants.Strings.PasswordRequired %>'></asp:RequiredFieldValidator>
    </EditItemTemplate>
    <FooterTemplate>
        <asp:TextBox ID="txtAddWebPassword" runat="server" TextMode="Password"></asp:TextBox>
        <asp:RequiredFieldValidator ID="rfvAddPassword" runat="server" SetFocusOnError="true"
            ControlToValidate="txtAddWebPassword" Display="None" ErrorMessage='<%# Constants.Strings.PasswordRequired %>'></asp:RequiredFieldValidator>
    </FooterTemplate>
</asp:TemplateField>

As you can see, there’s a RFV for the EditTemplate and FooterTemplate. My issue is this; when the page loads, it has all the records in it, including an emtpy row at the bottom (Footer). If I click Edit on a populated row, the data is populated correctly, then when I hit UPDATE, I get all the error messages from the FOOTER RFV’s firing off, which isn’t correct. So, in the RowCommand event, I’d like to attempt this: If the user clicks the EDIT button, then disable all the RFV’s in the footer row (the add new row), if they click anything else, enable them.

Ideas?

Sorry, meant to put this in the first time. In the RowCommand event, I am able to find the control but when I set the properties to something bogus, it seems to get overridden later, by the RowDataBound event:

            RequiredFieldValidator rfv = (RequiredFieldValidator)gvUsers.FooterRow.FindControl("rfvAddWebLogin");
            rfv.ControlToValidate = string.Empty;
            rfv.ErrorMessage = "sdfgsdfgsdgsdfgsdfgsdfgsdfg";
            rfv.Enabled = false;

Answer 1

You should use different ValidationGroups in your EditItemTemplate and FooterItemplate:

<asp:TemplateField HeaderText="">
    <ItemTemplate>
        <asp:Button ID="BtnEdit" CausesValidation="False" Text="Edit" CommandName="Edit"  runat="server"  />
    </ItemTemplate>
    <EditItemTemplate>
        <asp:Button ID="BtnUpdate" ValidationGroup="UpdateUser" Text="Update" CommandName="Update"  runat="server" />
    </EditItemTemplate>
    <FooterTemplate>
        <asp:Button ID="BtnInsert" ValidationGroup="InsertUser" Text="Add" CommandName="Insert" runat="server" />
    </FooterTemplate>
</asp:TemplateField>
<asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Password">
    <ItemTemplate>
        <asp:TextBox ID="txtPassword" runat="server" CssClass="GridViewTextbox" TextMode="Password"
            Text='<%#Eval("WebPassword") %>' Enabled="false"></asp:TextBox>
    </ItemTemplate>
    <EditItemTemplate>
        <asp:TextBox ID="txtWebPassword" ValidationGroup="UpdateUser" runat="server" TextMode="Password" Text='<%#Eval("WebPassword") %>'></asp:TextBox>
        <asp:RequiredFieldValidator ID="rfvPassword" ValidationGroup="UpdateUser" runat="server" SetFocusOnError="true"
            ControlToValidate="txtWebPassword" Display="None" ErrorMessage='<%# Constants.Strings.PasswordRequired %>'></asp:RequiredFieldValidator>
    </EditItemTemplate>
    <FooterTemplate>
        <asp:TextBox ID="txtAddWebPassword" ValidationGroup="InsertUser" runat="server" TextMode="Password"></asp:TextBox>
        <asp:RequiredFieldValidator ID="rfvAddPassword" ValidationGroup="InsertUser" runat="server" SetFocusOnError="true"
            ControlToValidate="txtAddWebPassword" Display="None" ErrorMessage='<%# Constants.Strings.PasswordRequired %>'></asp:RequiredFieldValidator>
    </FooterTemplate>
</asp:TemplateField>

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb426882.aspx#aspnett19_vldcntredtuics_topic7

Note: If you’re using ValidationSummaries, you need to add the appropriate ValidationGroup to every ValidationSummary. If you leave this property blank, only controls without a specified ValidationGroup will be listed.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.ui.webcontrols.validationsummary.validationgroup.aspx