"Required" verification message remains after removing the [Required] MVC 5 attribute

Question

I had the [Required] attribute in one of the properties of my view model:

 [DefaultValue(1)] [Required(ErrorMessage = "* Required")] // this has now been removed public int QuoteQuantity { get; set; } 

I deleted [Required] , but I still get this verification message, which prevents me from sending.

In the view, I have the following lines:

 @Html.EditorFor(model => model.QuoteQuantity, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control", value = "1" } }) @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.QuoteQuantity, "", new { @class = "text-danger" }) 

When I leave this blank and submit, I get this validation error:

The QuoteQuantity field is required.

I should mention that I re-created the solution, closed and reopened VS, and yet I keep getting this validation error, even if the current code is this:

 [DefaultValue(1)] public int QuoteQuantity { get; set; } 

Any idea why this might happen?

Answer 1

This is because your QuoteQuantity is an int that is currently not Nullable , so when you try to check, the field cannot be empty because it does not allow null s.

2 ways to get around this:

• Set QuoteQuantity int as int? ( Nullable int )

or

• Use another property to accept the value as string , and in get for QuoteQuantity use int.TryParse to see if the string can convert to int . You will need some kind of on-site check though to see if it falls within your min / max range - if you have one

An example :

First sentence:

 public int? QuoteQuantity { get; set; } 

Second sentence: (returns 0 if the string is empty / null or int not valid)

 public int QuoteQuantity { get { int qty = 0; if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(QuoteQuantityAsString)) { int.TryParse(QuoteQuantityAsString, out qty); } return qty; } } public string QuoteQuantityAsString { get; set; } // You will then need to use the // QuoteQuantityAsString property in your View, instead 

I would suggest the first option and make sure you do a null check where you use QuoteQuantity :)

Hope this helps!

EDIT:

In the fairness of providing the various options, I just thought of something else (probably better than Proposition 2). In any case, I think Proposition 1 is still the best way.

To return a confirmation only if the user enters something into the input field "Number of quotes" in the view:

View:

• In the view, add text input that allows the user to enter a quantity (or not, as may be the case) and use this instead of your current QuoteQuantity elements

• Give it id + name something like quoteQty

• Add ValidationFor as before, but give it the name quoteQty as the first argument

Controller:

• In your POST controller, select another string quoteQty parameter (so this will display the same as name from your view). This will be populated from your HttpPost

• Before doing the check (ModelState.IsValid) , try and quoteQty as an int ; if not, add a ModelError for quoteQty , with the message

• Then your model will return a validation error and will be displayed on the page as desired.

• Downside, this cannot be verified on the client side, so the server will have to return an error

Like this:

 public ActionResult SendQuote(Model yourmodel, string quoteQty) { if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(quoteQty)) { if (!int.TryParse(quoteQty, out yourmodel.QuoteQuantity)) { // If the TryParse fails and returns false // Add a model error. Element name, then message. ModelState.AddModelError("quoteQty", "Whoops!"); } } ... // Then do your ModelState.IsValid check and other stuffs } 

And just use the original property

 public int QuoteQuantity { get; set; } 

in your model. The default int value will be 0 if you never set it. If TryParse fails, it also sets the value to 0