Data Annotations for validation, at least one required field?

Question

If I have a search object with a list of fields, can I, using the System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations namespace, set it up to validate that at least one of the fields in the search is not null or empty? i.e All the fields are optional but at least one should always be entered.

Answer 1

I have extended Zhaph answer to support grouping of properties.

[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple = true)] public class AtLeastOnePropertyAttribute : ValidationAttribute {     private string[] PropertyList { get; set; }      public AtLeastOnePropertyAttribute(params string[] propertyList)     {         this.PropertyList = propertyList;     }      //See http://stackoverflow.com/a/1365669     public override object TypeId     {         get         {             return this;         }     }      public override bool IsValid(object value)     {         PropertyInfo propertyInfo;         foreach (string propertyName in PropertyList)         {             propertyInfo = value.GetType().GetProperty(propertyName);              if (propertyInfo != null && propertyInfo.GetValue(value, null) != null)             {                 return true;             }         }          return false;     } } 

Usage:

[AtLeastOneProperty("StringProp", "Id", "BoolProp", ErrorMessage="You must supply at least one value")] public class SimpleTest {     public string StringProp { get; set; }     public int? Id { get; set; }     public bool? BoolProp { get; set; } } 

And if you want to have 2 groups (or more):

[AtLeastOneProperty("StringProp", "Id", ErrorMessage="You must supply at least one value")] [AtLeastOneProperty("BoolProp", "BoolPropNew", ErrorMessage="You must supply at least one value")] public class SimpleTest {     public string StringProp { get; set; }     public int? Id { get; set; }     public bool? BoolProp { get; set; }     public bool? BoolPropNew { get; set; } }