Guiding Input with a Masked Text Box

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Guiding Input with a Masked Text Box


MaskedEdit is an ASP.NET AJAX extender that attaches to a TextBox control to restrict the kind of text that can be entered. MaskedEdit applies a "mask" to the input that permits only certain types of characters/text to be entered. The supported data formats are: Number, Date, Time, and DateTime. MaskedEdit uses the culture settings specified in the CultureName property. If none is specified the culture setting will be the same as the page: English (United States).

The number control above is initialized with this code. The italic properties are optional.

MessageValidatorTip="true" 
    OnFocusCssClass="MaskedEditFocus" 
    OnInvalidCssClass="MaskedEditError"
    MaskType="Number" 
    InputDirection="RightToLeft" 
    AcceptNegative="Left" 
    DisplayMoney="Left"
    ErrorTooltipEnabled="True"/>
  • MaskType - Type of validation to perform:
    None - No validation
    Number - Number validation
    Date - Date validation
    Time - Time validation
    DateTime - Date and time validation
  • Mask Characters and Delimiters
    9 - Only a numeric character
    L - Only a letter
    $ - Only a letter or a space
    C - Only a custom character (case sensitive)
    A - Only a letter or a custom character
    N - Only a numeric or custom character
    ? - Any character

    / - Date separator
    : - Time separator
    . - Decimal separator
    , - Thousand separator
    \ - Escape character
    { - Initial delimiter for repetition of masks
    } - Final delimiter for repetition of masks

    Examples:
    9999999 - Seven numeric characters
    99\/99 - Four numeric characters separated in the middle by a "/"
  •  
  • AcceptAMPM - True to display an AM/PM symbol
  • AcceptNegative - True if the negative sign (-) is allowed
    None - Do not show the negative sign
    Left - Show the negative sign on the left of the mask
    Right - Show the negative sign on the right of the mask
  • AutoComplete - True to automatically fill in empty mask characters not specified by the user
    MaskType=Number - Empty mask characters will be filled with zeros
    MaskType=Time - Empty mask characters will be filled with the current time
    MaskType=Date - Empty mask characters will be filled with the current date
    MaskType=DateTime - Empty mask characters will be filled with the current date/time
  • AutoCompleteValue - Default character to use when AutoComplete is enabled
  • Century - Default century used when a date mask only has two digits for the year
  • ClearMaskOnLostFocus - True to remove the mask when the TextBox loses focus
  • ClearTextOnInvalid - True to clear the TextBox when invalid text is entered
  • ClipboardEnabled- True to allow copy/paste with the clipboard
  • ClipboardText - Prompt text to use when a clipboard paste is performed
  • DisplayMoney - Specifies how the currency symbol is displayed
    None - Do not show the currency symbol
    Left - Show the currency symbol on the left of the mask
    Right - Show the currency symbol on the right of the mask
  • ErrorTooltipCssClass - CSS class for the tooltip message
  • ErrorTooltipEnabled - True to show a tooltip message when the mouse hovers over an invalid TextBox
  • Filtered - Valid characters for mask type "C" (case-sensitive)
  • InputDirection - Text input direction
    LeftToRight - Left to Right
    RightToLeft - Right to left
  • MessageValidatorTip - Message displayed when editing in TextBox
  • PromptChararacter - Prompt character for unspecified mask characters
  • UserDateFormat - Custom date format
  • UserTimeFormat - Custom time format
  •  
  • OnFocusCssClass - CSS class used when the TextBox receives focus
  • OnFocusCssNegative - CSS class used when the TextBox gets focus with a negative value
  • OnBlurCssNegative - CSS class used when the TextBox loses focus with a negative value
  • OnInvalidCssClass - CSS class used when the text is not valid.
  •  
  • CultureName - Name of culture to use (overrides the default page culture)
  • CultureAMPMPlaceholder - Culture override
  • CultureCurrencySymbolPlaceholder - Culture override
  • CultureDateFormat - Culture override
  • CultureDatePlaceholder - Culture override
  • CultureDecimalPlaceholder - Culture override
  • CultureThousandsPlaceholder - Culture override
  • CultureTimePlaceholder - Culture override

MaskedEditValidator
MaskedEditValidator is a custom validator which attaches to the MaskedEdit extender and its associated TextBox and verifies that the input text matches the pattern specified in the MaskedEdit extender. Once associated with a validation group, server- and client-side validation can be performed and used to display messages.
 
MaskedEditValidator Properties
The control above is initialized with this code. The italic properties are optional.
ControlToValidate="TextBox2" 
    IsValidEmpty="False" 
    MaximumValue="12000" 
    EmptyValueMessage="Number is required"
    InvalidValueMessage="Number is invalid"
    MaximumValueMessage="Number > 12000"
    MinimumValueMessage="Number < -100"
    MinimumValue="-100" 
    EmptyValueBlurredText="*" 
    InvalidValueBlurredMessage="*" 
    MaximumValueBlurredMessage="*" 
    MinimumValueBlurredText="*"
    Display="Dynamic" 
    TooltipMessage="Input a number: -100 up to 12.000"/>
  • ControlToValidate - ID of the TextBox to validate
  • ControlExtender - ID of the MaskedEditExtender attached to the TextBox
  •  
  • AcceptAMPM - Whether or not AM/PM is accepted on times.
    The default value is false.
  • ClientValidationFunction - Client script used for custom validation
  • InitialValue - Initial value of the TextBox
  • IsValidEmpty - True if the TextBox can be empty
  • MaximumValue - Maximum value of the input
  • MinimumValue - Minimum value of the input
  • ValidationExpression - Regular expression used to validate the input
  •  
  • TooltipMessage - Message displayed when the TextBox has focus with an empty value
  • EmptyValueMessage - Message displayed when empty and TextBox has focus
  • EmptyValueBlurredText - Message displayed when empty and TextBox does not have focus
  • InvalidValueMessage - Message displayed when invalid and TextBox has focus
  • InvalidValueBlurredMessage - Message displayed when invalid and TextBox does not have focus
  • MaximumValueMessage - Message displayed when maximum value exceeded and TextBox has focus
  • MaximumValueBlurredMessage - Message displayed when maximum value exceeded and TextBox does not have focus
  • MinimumValueMessage - Message displayed when minimum value exceeded and TextBox has focus
  • MinimumValueBlurredText - Message displayed when minimum value exceeded and TextBox does not have focus

 

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