How to define TextBox input restrictions?
I've done this in the past with an attached behavior, which can be used like this:
<TextBox b:Masking.Mask="^\p{Lu}*$"/>
The attached behavior code looks like this:
/// <summary>
/// Provides masking behavior for any <see cref="TextBox"/>.
/// </summary>
public static class Masking
{
private static readonly DependencyPropertyKey _maskExpressionPropertyKey = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttachedReadOnly("MaskExpression",
typeof(Regex),
typeof(Masking),
new FrameworkPropertyMetadata());
/// <summary>
/// Identifies the <see cref="Mask"/> dependency property.
/// </summary>
public static readonly DependencyProperty MaskProperty = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("Mask",
typeof(string),
typeof(Masking),
new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(OnMaskChanged));
/// <summary>
/// Identifies the <see cref="MaskExpression"/> dependency property.
/// </summary>
public static readonly DependencyProperty MaskExpressionProperty = _maskExpressionPropertyKey.DependencyProperty;
/// <summary>
/// Gets the mask for a given <see cref="TextBox"/>.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="textBox">
/// The <see cref="TextBox"/> whose mask is to be retrieved.
/// </param>
/// <returns>
/// The mask, or <see langword="null"/> if no mask has been set.
/// </returns>
public static string GetMask(TextBox textBox)
{
if (textBox == null)
{
throw new ArgumentNullException("textBox");
}
return textBox.GetValue(MaskProperty) as string;
}
/// <summary>
/// Sets the mask for a given <see cref="TextBox"/>.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="textBox">
/// The <see cref="TextBox"/> whose mask is to be set.
/// </param>
/// <param name="mask">
/// The mask to set, or <see langword="null"/> to remove any existing mask from <paramref name="textBox"/>.
/// </param>
public static void SetMask(TextBox textBox, string mask)
{
if (textBox == null)
{
throw new ArgumentNullException("textBox");
}
textBox.SetValue(MaskProperty, mask);
}
/// <summary>
/// Gets the mask expression for the <see cref="TextBox"/>.
/// </summary>
/// <remarks>
/// This method can be used to retrieve the actual <see cref="Regex"/> instance created as a result of setting the mask on a <see cref="TextBox"/>.
/// </remarks>
/// <param name="textBox">
/// The <see cref="TextBox"/> whose mask expression is to be retrieved.
/// </param>
/// <returns>
/// The mask expression as an instance of <see cref="Regex"/>, or <see langword="null"/> if no mask has been applied to <paramref name="textBox"/>.
/// </returns>
public static Regex GetMaskExpression(TextBox textBox)
{
if (textBox == null)
{
throw new ArgumentNullException("textBox");
}
return textBox.GetValue(MaskExpressionProperty) as Regex;
}
private static void SetMaskExpression(TextBox textBox, Regex regex)
{
textBox.SetValue(_maskExpressionPropertyKey, regex);
}
private static void OnMaskChanged(DependencyObject dependencyObject, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
var textBox = dependencyObject as TextBox;
var mask = e.NewValue as string;
textBox.PreviewTextInput -= textBox_PreviewTextInput;
textBox.PreviewKeyDown -= textBox_PreviewKeyDown;
DataObject.RemovePastingHandler(textBox, Pasting);
if (mask == null)
{
textBox.ClearValue(MaskProperty);
textBox.ClearValue(MaskExpressionProperty);
}
else
{
textBox.SetValue(MaskProperty, mask);
SetMaskExpression(textBox, new Regex(mask, RegexOptions.Compiled | RegexOptions.IgnorePatternWhitespace));
textBox.PreviewTextInput += textBox_PreviewTextInput;
textBox.PreviewKeyDown += textBox_PreviewKeyDown;
DataObject.AddPastingHandler(textBox, Pasting);
}
}
private static void textBox_PreviewTextInput(object sender, TextCompositionEventArgs e)
{
var textBox = sender as TextBox;
var maskExpression = GetMaskExpression(textBox);
if (maskExpression == null)
{
return;
}
var proposedText = GetProposedText(textBox, e.Text);
if (!maskExpression.IsMatch(proposedText))
{
e.Handled = true;
}
}
private static void textBox_PreviewKeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
var textBox = sender as TextBox;
var maskExpression = GetMaskExpression(textBox);
if (maskExpression == null)
{
return;
}
//pressing space doesn't raise PreviewTextInput - no idea why, but we need to handle
//explicitly here
if (e.Key == Key.Space)
{
var proposedText = GetProposedText(textBox, " ");
if (!maskExpression.IsMatch(proposedText))
{
e.Handled = true;
}
}
}
private static void Pasting(object sender, DataObjectPastingEventArgs e)
{
var textBox = sender as TextBox;
var maskExpression = GetMaskExpression(textBox);
if (maskExpression == null)
{
return;
}
if (e.DataObject.GetDataPresent(typeof(string)))
{
var pastedText = e.DataObject.GetData(typeof(string)) as string;
var proposedText = GetProposedText(textBox, pastedText);
if (!maskExpression.IsMatch(proposedText))
{
e.CancelCommand();
}
}
else
{
e.CancelCommand();
}
}
private static string GetProposedText(TextBox textBox, string newText)
{
var text = textBox.Text;
if (textBox.SelectionStart != -1)
{
text = text.Remove(textBox.SelectionStart, textBox.SelectionLength);
}
text = text.Insert(textBox.CaretIndex, newText);
return text;
}
}
I've improved Kent Boogaart's answer by also handling the following actions that previously could cause the pattern to be violated:
- Backspace
- Selecting and dragging text in a way that can violate the pattern
- Cut command
For example, Kent Boogaart's answer allowed the user to enter "ac" by first entering "abc" and afterwards delete the "b" with the backspace which violates the following regex
^(a|ab|abc)$
Usage (unchanged):
<TextBox b:Masking.Mask="^\p{Lu}*$"/>
Mask class:
public static class Masking
{
private static readonly DependencyPropertyKey _maskExpressionPropertyKey = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttachedReadOnly("MaskExpression",
typeof(Regex),
typeof(Masking),
new FrameworkPropertyMetadata());
/// <summary>
/// Identifies the <see cref="Mask"/> dependency property.
/// </summary>
public static readonly DependencyProperty MaskProperty = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("Mask",
typeof(string),
typeof(Masking),
new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(OnMaskChanged));
/// <summary>
/// Identifies the <see cref="MaskExpression"/> dependency property.
/// </summary>
public static readonly DependencyProperty MaskExpressionProperty = _maskExpressionPropertyKey.DependencyProperty;
/// <summary>
/// Gets the mask for a given <see cref="TextBox"/>.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="textBox">
/// The <see cref="TextBox"/> whose mask is to be retrieved.
/// </param>
/// <returns>
/// The mask, or <see langword="null"/> if no mask has been set.
/// </returns>
public static string GetMask(TextBox textBox)
{
if (textBox == null)
{
throw new ArgumentNullException("textBox");
}
return textBox.GetValue(MaskProperty) as string;
}
/// <summary>
/// Sets the mask for a given <see cref="TextBox"/>.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="textBox">
/// The <see cref="TextBox"/> whose mask is to be set.
/// </param>
/// <param name="mask">
/// The mask to set, or <see langword="null"/> to remove any existing mask from <paramref name="textBox"/>.
/// </param>
public static void SetMask(TextBox textBox, string mask)
{
if (textBox == null)
{
throw new ArgumentNullException("textBox");
}
textBox.SetValue(MaskProperty, mask);
}
/// <summary>
/// Gets the mask expression for the <see cref="TextBox"/>.
/// </summary>
/// <remarks>
/// This method can be used to retrieve the actual <see cref="Regex"/> instance created as a result of setting the mask on a <see cref="TextBox"/>.
/// </remarks>
/// <param name="textBox">
/// The <see cref="TextBox"/> whose mask expression is to be retrieved.
/// </param>
/// <returns>
/// The mask expression as an instance of <see cref="Regex"/>, or <see langword="null"/> if no mask has been applied to <paramref name="textBox"/>.
/// </returns>
public static Regex GetMaskExpression(TextBox textBox)
{
if (textBox == null)
{
throw new ArgumentNullException("textBox");
}
return textBox.GetValue(MaskExpressionProperty) as Regex;
}
private static void SetMaskExpression(TextBox textBox, Regex regex)
{
textBox.SetValue(_maskExpressionPropertyKey, regex);
}
private static void OnMaskChanged(DependencyObject dependencyObject, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
var textBox = dependencyObject as TextBox;
var mask = e.NewValue as string;
textBox.PreviewTextInput -= textBox_PreviewTextInput;
textBox.PreviewKeyDown -= textBox_PreviewKeyDown;
DataObject.RemovePastingHandler(textBox, Pasting);
DataObject.RemoveCopyingHandler(textBox, NoDragCopy);
CommandManager.RemovePreviewExecutedHandler(textBox, NoCutting);
if (mask == null)
{
textBox.ClearValue(MaskProperty);
textBox.ClearValue(MaskExpressionProperty);
}
else
{
textBox.SetValue(MaskProperty, mask);
SetMaskExpression(textBox, new Regex(mask, RegexOptions.Compiled | RegexOptions.IgnorePatternWhitespace));
textBox.PreviewTextInput += textBox_PreviewTextInput;
textBox.PreviewKeyDown += textBox_PreviewKeyDown;
DataObject.AddPastingHandler(textBox, Pasting);
DataObject.AddCopyingHandler(textBox, NoDragCopy);
CommandManager.AddPreviewExecutedHandler(textBox, NoCutting);
}
}
private static void NoCutting(object sender, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)
{
if(e.Command == ApplicationCommands.Cut)
{
e.Handled = true;
}
}
private static void NoDragCopy(object sender, DataObjectCopyingEventArgs e)
{
if (e.IsDragDrop)
{
e.CancelCommand();
}
}
private static void textBox_PreviewTextInput(object sender, TextCompositionEventArgs e)
{
var textBox = sender as TextBox;
var maskExpression = GetMaskExpression(textBox);
if (maskExpression == null)
{
return;
}
var proposedText = GetProposedText(textBox, e.Text);
if (!maskExpression.IsMatch(proposedText))
{
e.Handled = true;
}
}
private static void textBox_PreviewKeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
var textBox = sender as TextBox;
var maskExpression = GetMaskExpression(textBox);
if (maskExpression == null)
{
return;
}
string proposedText = null;
//pressing space doesn't raise PreviewTextInput, reasons here http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/wpf/thread/446ec083-04c8-43f2-89dc-1e2521a31f6b?prof=required
if (e.Key == Key.Space)
{
proposedText = GetProposedText(textBox, " ");
}
// Same story with backspace
else if(e.Key == Key.Back)
{
proposedText = GetProposedTextBackspace(textBox);
}
if (proposedText != null && proposedText != string.Empty && !maskExpression.IsMatch(proposedText))
{
e.Handled = true;
}
}
private static void Pasting(object sender, DataObjectPastingEventArgs e)
{
var textBox = sender as TextBox;
var maskExpression = GetMaskExpression(textBox);
if (maskExpression == null)
{
return;
}
if (e.DataObject.GetDataPresent(typeof(string)))
{
var pastedText = e.DataObject.GetData(typeof(string)) as string;
var proposedText = GetProposedText(textBox, pastedText);
if (!maskExpression.IsMatch(proposedText))
{
e.CancelCommand();
}
}
else
{
e.CancelCommand();
}
}
private static string GetProposedTextBackspace(TextBox textBox)
{
var text = GetTextWithSelectionRemoved(textBox);
if (textBox.SelectionStart > 0 && textBox.SelectionLength == 0)
{
text = text.Remove(textBox.SelectionStart-1, 1);
}
return text;
}
private static string GetProposedText(TextBox textBox, string newText)
{
var text = GetTextWithSelectionRemoved(textBox);
text = text.Insert(textBox.CaretIndex, newText);
return text;
}
private static string GetTextWithSelectionRemoved(TextBox textBox)
{
var text = textBox.Text;
if (textBox.SelectionStart != -1)
{
text = text.Remove(textBox.SelectionStart, textBox.SelectionLength);
}
return text;
}
}