ASP.Net 2012 Unobtrusive Validation with jQuery

Question

It seems like there is a lot of incorrect information about the ValidationSettings:UnobtrusiveValidationMode value. To Disable it you need to do the following.

<add key="ValidationSettings:UnobtrusiveValidationMode" value="None" />

The word None, not WebForms should be used to disable this feature.

This is the official Microsoft answer from the MS Connect forums. I am copying the relevant text below :-

When targeting .NET 4.5 Unobtrusive Validation is enabled by default. You need to have jQuery in your project and have something like this in Global.asax to register jQuery properly:

ScriptManager.ScriptResourceMapping.AddDefinition("jquery", 
    new ScriptResourceDefinition {
        Path = "~/scripts/jquery-1.4.1.min.js",
        DebugPath = "~/scripts/jquery-1.4.1.js",
        CdnPath = "http://ajax.microsoft.com/ajax/jQuery/jquery-1.4.1.min.js",
        CdnDebugPath = "http://ajax.microsoft.com/ajax/jQuery/jquery-1.4.1.js"
    });

Replacing the version of jQuery with the version you are using.

You can also disable this new feature in web.config by removing the following line:

<add key="ValidationSettings:UnobtrusiveValidationMode" value="WebForms" />

More Info on ValidationSettings:UnobtrusiveValidationMode

Specifies how ASP.NET globally enables the built-in validator controls to use unobtrusive JavaScript for client-side validation logic.

Type: UnobtrusiveValidationMode

Default value: None

Remarks: If this key value is set to "None" [default], the ASP.NET application will use the pre-4.5 behavior (JavaScript inline in the pages) for client-side validation logic. If this key value is set to "WebForms", ASP.NET uses HTML5 data-attributes and late bound JavaScript from an added script reference for client-side validation logic.

Example:

    <appSettings>
      <add key="ValidationSettings:UnobtrusiveValidationMode" value="None" />
    </appSettings>

Other than the required "jquery" ScriptResourceDefinition in Global.asax (use your own paths):

    protected void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {            
        ScriptManager.ScriptResourceMapping.AddDefinition(
            "jquery",
            new ScriptResourceDefinition
            {
                Path = "/static/scripts/jquery-1.8.3.min.js",
                DebugPath = "/static/scripts/jquery-1.8.3.js",
                CdnPath = "http://ajax.aspnetcdn.com/ajax/jQuery/jquery-1.8.3.min.js",
                CdnDebugPath = "http://ajax.aspnetcdn.com/ajax/jQuery/jquery-1.8.3.js",
                CdnSupportsSecureConnection = true,
                LoadSuccessExpression = "jQuery"
            });
    }

You additionally only need to explicitly add "WebUIValidation.js" after "jquery" ScriptReference in ScriptManager (the most important part):

       <asp:ScriptManager runat="server" EnableScriptGlobalization="True" EnableCdn="True">
            <Scripts>
                <asp:ScriptReference Name="jquery" />
                <asp:ScriptReference Name="WebUIValidation.js" Assembly="System.Web" />
            </Scripts>
        </asp:ScriptManager>

If you add it before "jquery", or if you don't add any or both of them at all (ASP.Net will then automatically add it before "jquery") - the client validation will be completely broken:

http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/748064/unobtrusive-validation-breaks-with-a-script-manager-on-the-page

You don't need any of those NuGet packages at all, nor any additional ScriptReference (some of which are just duplicates, or even a completely unnecessary bloat - as they are added automatically by ASP.Net if needed) mentioned in your blog.

EDIT: you don't need to explicitly add "WebForms.js" as well (removed it from the example) - and if you do, its LoadSuccessExpression will be ignored for some reason