Transferring Control Focus through Custom Validation File, in ASP.NET

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Introduction

In one of my recent projects, I faced the problem of how to transfer control focus to the appropriate control when validation fails. I was confused with the client requirement at first but realized it is a common and basic requirement from the user point. But it is not implemented in the WebUIValidation.js. You can implement this with a minimal setting change in the web.config file and a little code change in the WebUIValidation file.

Add the following element in the system.web section of the web.config file for using a custom validation file:

<webControls clientScriptsLocation="<virtual_path>/javascripts/"></webControls>

Add a new function in the WebUIValidation which will set the focus to the control which fails in the validation process.

function ValidatorControlFocus()
{
    if(typeof(Page_Validators) != "undefined")
    {
        for (i = 0; i < Page_Validators.length; i++)
        {
            val = Page_Validators[i];
            if(val.isvalid == false)
            {
                control = document.all[val.controltovalidate];
                if(control != null)
                {
                    if( !control.isDisabled ){
                        if(control.style.visibility != "hidden"){
                            control.focus();
                        }
                    }
                    return;
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Call the above function in Page_ClientValidate as well as in ValidatorCommonOnSubmit functions.