client-side format validation

Your application can validate the format of many user inputs on a flow action form or user form on the user's workstation, before the user submits the completed form to the application server that hosts PRPC. This feature is known as client-side format validation.

This optional technique has three benefits:

• Errors are detected earlier, increasing overall user productivity.
• The number of round trips (HTTP interactions) needed to obtain a fully valid and complete form may be reduced.
• Processing workload on the server and HTTP traffic are reduced.

Several standard control rules support this feature, including those for dates, times, and textareas.

When enabled, user inputs are checked for character formats and by JavaScript equivalents to selected edit validate rules. Additional validation may occur later when the form is submitted.

For example, you can't enter a letter into a numeric field. You can't enter 02/31/2007 into a date field. Error notification occurs immediately when you tab out of the input field or change focus to another field.

Enabling this capability

To enable client-side format validation:

1. For best results, use this capability with flow actions and harnesses that use the SmartFrames format and JavaServer Pages tags rather than directives.
2. Specify a control rule for the property that incorporates the ClientValidation control rule. (Many standard control rules already incorporate this control rule.) You can override the control rule normally associated with the property in the Format field of the Field panel (on the Flow Action, Section, or Harness form).
3. Check the Enable Client Side Validation box on the HTML tab of the Flow Action form or Harness form.

Notes

Client-side format validation does not test user input values against restrictions defined on the Table Type area of the General tab of the property.

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