DictionaryBase.OnValidate(Object, Object) Method

Definition

Performs additional custom processes when validating the element with the specified key and value.

protected virtual void OnValidate (object key, object value);
protected virtual void OnValidate (object key, object? value);

Parameters

key
Object

The key of the element to validate.

value
Object

The value of the element to validate.

Examples

The following code example implements the DictionaryBase class and uses that implementation to create a dictionary of String keys and values that have a Length of 5 characters or less.

using System;
using System.Collections;

public class ShortStringDictionary : DictionaryBase  {

   public String this[ String key ]  {
      get  {
         return( (String) Dictionary[key] );
      }
      set  {
         Dictionary[key] = value;
      }
   }

   public ICollection Keys  {
      get  {
         return( Dictionary.Keys );
      }
   }

   public ICollection Values  {
      get  {
         return( Dictionary.Values );
      }
   }

   public void Add( String key, String value )  {
      Dictionary.Add( key, value );
   }

   public bool Contains( String key )  {
      return( Dictionary.Contains( key ) );
   }

   public void Remove( String key )  {
      Dictionary.Remove( key );
   }

   protected override void OnInsert( Object key, Object value )  {
      if ( key.GetType() != typeof(System.String) )
        {
            throw new ArgumentException( "key must be of type String.", "key" );
        }
        else  {
         String strKey = (String) key;
         if ( strKey.Length > 5 )
            throw new ArgumentException( "key must be no more than 5 characters in length.", "key" );
      }

      if ( value.GetType() != typeof(System.String) )
        {
            throw new ArgumentException( "value must be of type String.", "value" );
        }
        else  {
         String strValue = (String) value;
         if ( strValue.Length > 5 )
            throw new ArgumentException( "value must be no more than 5 characters in length.", "value" );
      }
   }

   protected override void OnRemove( Object key, Object value )  {
      if ( key.GetType() != typeof(System.String) )
        {
            throw new ArgumentException( "key must be of type String.", "key" );
        }
        else  {
         String strKey = (String) key;
         if ( strKey.Length > 5 )
            throw new ArgumentException( "key must be no more than 5 characters in length.", "key" );
      }
   }

   protected override void OnSet( Object key, Object oldValue, Object newValue )  {
      if ( key.GetType() != typeof(System.String) )
        {
            throw new ArgumentException( "key must be of type String.", "key" );
        }
        else  {
         String strKey = (String) key;
         if ( strKey.Length > 5 )
            throw new ArgumentException( "key must be no more than 5 characters in length.", "key" );
      }

      if ( newValue.GetType() != typeof(System.String) )
        {
            throw new ArgumentException( "newValue must be of type String.", "newValue" );
        }
        else  {
         String strValue = (String) newValue;
         if ( strValue.Length > 5 )
            throw new ArgumentException( "newValue must be no more than 5 characters in length.", "newValue" );
      }
   }

   protected override void OnValidate( Object key, Object value )  {
      if ( key.GetType() != typeof(System.String) )
        {
            throw new ArgumentException( "key must be of type String.", "key" );
        }
        else  {
         String strKey = (String) key;
         if ( strKey.Length > 5 )
            throw new ArgumentException( "key must be no more than 5 characters in length.", "key" );
      }

      if ( value.GetType() != typeof(System.String) )
        {
            throw new ArgumentException( "value must be of type String.", "value" );
        }
        else  {
         String strValue = (String) value;
         if ( strValue.Length > 5 )
            throw new ArgumentException( "value must be no more than 5 characters in length.", "value" );
      }
   }
}

public class SamplesDictionaryBase  {

   public static void Main()  {

      // Creates and initializes a new DictionaryBase.
      ShortStringDictionary mySSC = new ShortStringDictionary();

      // Adds elements to the collection.
      mySSC.Add( "One", "a" );
      mySSC.Add( "Two", "ab" );
      mySSC.Add( "Three", "abc" );
      mySSC.Add( "Four", "abcd" );
      mySSC.Add( "Five", "abcde" );

      // Display the contents of the collection using foreach. This is the preferred method.
      Console.WriteLine( "Contents of the collection (using foreach):" );
      PrintKeysAndValues1( mySSC );

      // Display the contents of the collection using the enumerator.
      Console.WriteLine( "Contents of the collection (using enumerator):" );
      PrintKeysAndValues2( mySSC );

      // Display the contents of the collection using the Keys property and the Item property.
      Console.WriteLine( "Initial contents of the collection (using Keys and Item):" );
      PrintKeysAndValues3( mySSC );

      // Tries to add a value that is too long.
      try  {
         mySSC.Add( "Ten", "abcdefghij" );
      }
      catch ( ArgumentException e )  {
         Console.WriteLine( e.ToString() );
      }

      // Tries to add a key that is too long.
      try  {
         mySSC.Add( "Eleven", "ijk" );
      }
      catch ( ArgumentException e )  {
         Console.WriteLine( e.ToString() );
      }

      Console.WriteLine();

      // Searches the collection with Contains.
      Console.WriteLine( "Contains \"Three\": {0}", mySSC.Contains( "Three" ) );
      Console.WriteLine( "Contains \"Twelve\": {0}", mySSC.Contains( "Twelve" ) );
      Console.WriteLine();

      // Removes an element from the collection.
      mySSC.Remove( "Two" );

      // Displays the contents of the collection.
      Console.WriteLine( "After removing \"Two\":" );
      PrintKeysAndValues1( mySSC );
   }

   // Uses the foreach statement which hides the complexity of the enumerator.
   // NOTE: The foreach statement is the preferred way of enumerating the contents of a collection.
   public static void PrintKeysAndValues1( ShortStringDictionary myCol )  {
      foreach ( DictionaryEntry myDE in myCol )
         Console.WriteLine( "   {0,-5} : {1}", myDE.Key, myDE.Value );
      Console.WriteLine();
   }

   // Uses the enumerator.
   // NOTE: The foreach statement is the preferred way of enumerating the contents of a collection.
   public static void PrintKeysAndValues2( ShortStringDictionary myCol )  {
      DictionaryEntry myDE;
      System.Collections.IEnumerator myEnumerator = myCol.GetEnumerator();
      while ( myEnumerator.MoveNext() )
         if ( myEnumerator.Current != null )  {
            myDE = (DictionaryEntry) myEnumerator.Current;
            Console.WriteLine( "   {0,-5} : {1}", myDE.Key, myDE.Value );
         }
      Console.WriteLine();
   }

   // Uses the Keys property and the Item property.
   public static void PrintKeysAndValues3( ShortStringDictionary myCol )  {
      ICollection myKeys = myCol.Keys;
      foreach ( String k in myKeys )
         Console.WriteLine( "   {0,-5} : {1}", k, myCol[k] );
      Console.WriteLine();
   }
}


/*
This code produces the following output.

Contents of the collection (using foreach):
   Three : abc
   Five  : abcde
   Two   : ab
   One   : a
   Four  : abcd

Contents of the collection (using enumerator):
   Three : abc
   Five  : abcde
   Two   : ab
   One   : a
   Four  : abcd

Initial contents of the collection (using Keys and Item):
   Three : abc
   Five  : abcde
   Two   : ab
   One   : a
   Four  : abcd

System.ArgumentException: value must be no more than 5 characters in length.
Parameter name: value
   at ShortStringDictionary.OnValidate(Object key, Object value)
   at System.Collections.DictionaryBase.System.Collections.IDictionary.Add(Object key, Object value)
   at SamplesDictionaryBase.Main()
System.ArgumentException: key must be no more than 5 characters in length.
Parameter name: key
   at ShortStringDictionary.OnValidate(Object key, Object value)
   at System.Collections.DictionaryBase.System.Collections.IDictionary.Add(Object key, Object value)
   at SamplesDictionaryBase.Main()

Contains "Three": True
Contains "Twelve": False

After removing "Two":
   Three : abc
   Five  : abcde
   One   : a
   Four  : abcd

*/

Remarks

The default implementation of this method is intended to be overridden by a derived class to perform some action when the specified element is validated.

The On* methods are invoked only on the instance returned by the Dictionary property, but not on the instance returned by the InnerHashtable property.

The default implementation of this method is an O(1) operation.

Notes to Inheritors

This method allows implementers to define processes that must be performed when executing the standard behavior of the underlying Hashtable. By defining this method, implementers can add functionality to inherited methods without having to override all other methods.

OnValidate(Object, Object) can be used to impose restrictions on the type of objects that are accepted into the collection. The default implementation prevents null from being added to or removed from the underlying Hashtable.

Applies to

Product Versions
.NET Core 1.0, Core 1.1, Core 2.0, Core 2.1, Core 2.2, Core 3.0, Core 3.1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
.NET Framework 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8, 4.8.1
.NET Standard 2.0, 2.1
UWP 10.0

See also