Restrict User Input

Property validation allows you to control the values that can be saved for a property. Property validation cannot prevent users from entering incorrect values in all cases, but it can apply rules to what the user enters and inform the user of incorrect input. You can apply several types of validation to a property, either individually or in combination:

  • Required input

  • Selection from a list of approved values

  • Input evaluation

Each of the validation options is described in the following procedure.

To restrict user input:

  1. In Configurator, expand Property Sets in the configuration tree to display the property sets.

  2. Expand the property set that contains the property for which you want to configure validation.

    The names of the properties currently in the selected property set appear.

  3. Select the desired property in the configuration tree.

    The property's property pages appear in the right pane.

    Note:

    The Enable for scripting option must be selected and VBScript name must be complete for the Validation and Assignment pages to be active.

  4. Click the Validation tab.

    The property's validation options appear.

  5. Click Edit.

  6. Click options or type values using the descriptions in the following table.

  7. Click OK.

Property validation options
Option Description

Input Required

Select this option to require user input before changes to the property page can be saved. Select either Always or This expression must be True and click the Meridian Enterprise Script Editor button A small gray button that has a pen and paper on it. to build a VBScript expression that will be evaluated to determine when the element is visible.  For information on using VBScript for configuration expressions including their limitations, see Configuration Expressions. Do not use this option on a property that may be on a hidden page.

Select a value from

Select this option to require the user to select from a list of approved values:

  • List of existing values for this property — Displays a list on the property page of the values that have already been typed for this property. When a new value is typed for this property, it is added to the list.
  • List of user names — Displays a list on the property page of the full names of Meridian users who have used the vault.

    Note:

    Meridian user names can be shown in different formats as specified by the server registry setting UserNameFormat described in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Cyco\AutoManager Meridian\CurrentVersion\Server\UserDatabase.

    If your environment comprises hundreds of users and a group exists that contains all the users, the performance for users when they need to select all user names can sometimes be improved by restricting property validation to the results of a query of the Meridian user database instead. This would eliminate the queries for unnecessary user data that are otherwise performed when a group is selected.

    For more information on creating a query, see Create And Edit External Data Queries. Alternatively, instruct the users to select the All users item in the list of user names instead of the group name. That item does not query for additional data.

  • This lookup list — Displays a list on the property page containing entries from the selected lookup list. Click the A gray rectangular button with rounded corners. In the middle-bottom portion of the button is an ellipses. button to display the selected lookup list or to add new entries. If the lookup list does not yet exist, click New to create a new lookup list, as described in Create And Edit Lookup Lists.
  • This expression — Click the Meridian Enterprise Script Editor button A small gray button that has a pen and paper on it. to build a VBScript expression that will be evaluated to determine the list of approved values.  For information on using VBScript for configuration expressions including their limitations, see Configuration Expressions. Do not use this option on a property that may be on a hidden page.
  • Allow a user to type values manually — Enable this option if you want users to be able to type other values than those provided by the VBScript expression above. Select either Always or This expression must be True and click the Meridian Enterprise Script Editor button A small gray button that has a pen and paper on it. to build a VBScript expression that will be evaluated to determine when the users may type other values.

Apply Input Restrictions

Select this option to limit the range of values a user may input:

  • Value must be between — Restricts property values to the lower and upper limits specified. This option is available only for numeric and date data type properties.
  • Value must conform to the regular expression — Type a regular expression that will be used to validate the user's input. Click the Test button to test your expression with sample input that you type. Type a message to show users when validation fails in If the validation fails, this message will be shown.
  • This expression must be True — Click the Meridian Enterprise Script Editor button A small gray button that has a pen and paper on it. to build a VBScript expression that will be evaluated to validate the user's input.  For information on using VBScript for configuration expressions including their limitations, see Configuration Expressions. Type a message to show users when validation fails in If the validation fails, this message will be shown.
  • This expression must return an empty string — Click the Meridian Enterprise Script Editor button A small gray button that has a pen and paper on it. to build a VBScript expression that will be evaluated when the property is saved. If the result of the expression is not empty, it is considered as an error and becomes the text of the error message. The result can consist of multiple lines of text. However, only the first line will be shown in error messages caused by the Set Property Value command.  For information on using VBScript for configuration expressions including their limitations, see Configuration Expressions.

2023