Validating and invalidating components

Creating or configuring forms > Configuring the <components> element > Setting component rules > Validating and invalidating components

6.1.18.3 Validating and invalidating components

Through component responses, individual components may become valid or invalid by using the <validate> element. When a component is invalidated through a component response, only another component response may re-validate the component.

To validate and invalidate a component

When setting rules for a component, insert the <invalidate-components> element within the <response> section of the <component-rule> element.

Optional: If you want to restrict the user from proceeding until the component is re-validated, set the strict attribute to "true".

<response>
  <invalidate-components strict="true">
    <message>These are not valid values</message>
    <component id="ip-address" />
    <component id="firewall" />
  </invalidate-components>
</response>

If the rule is met, the "ip-address" and "firewall" components are invalidated, and the user is shown the message "These are not valid values" and is prevented from proceeding.

Create a rule (See Setting component rules). Set the <validate-components> element within the rule's <response> to re-validate the component(s).

Optional: If you want to restrict the user from proceeding unless the components are validated, set the strict attribute to "true".

<response>
  <validate-components strict="true">
    <component id="ip-address" />
    <component id="firewall" />
  </validate-components>
</response>

If the rule is met, the "ip-address" and "firewall" components are re-validated, and the user is allowed to proceed.

Because component rules can be dynamic, meaning they can be returned from the server, you may prefer to use them as opposed to existing validation framework. For example, you could have an external script verify that a username is valid, possibly invalidating the username component.