Once you've learned how to create validations in Apty, it’s important to understand strategies and best practices for effectively validating data within your application. This ensures that user inputs meet specific criteria and enhances the overall accuracy and reliability of your data.
Creating a Frame
A Frame in Apty is a unique part of the page where validations, Launchers, Tooltips, or Announcements are applied. The Frame must be uniquely identified, typically using Anchor points, and given a valid, descriptive name to clearly define the area of focus.
When setting up a Frame:
Show Icon: This option determines whether the validation icon is visible next to the field. If the checkbox is selected, the icon appears beside the field; if not, the icon remains hidden until the field is interacted with.
Icon Positioning: You can adjust the icon’s position relative to the Spotlight by managing the spacing between the field and the validation icon.
Types of Custom Validators
Apty offers four categories of custom validators to ensure user input adheres to specific rules:
1. Required Field
- The Required Field Validator ensures that a user must enter data into the field. This validator is essential for fields that cannot be left blank.
2. Length Constraint
- This validator allows you to specify the minimum and maximum length of the input. It’s particularly useful for fields like passwords or IDs, where input length is crucial.
3. Regular Expression
- The Regular Expression Validator enables you to define a pattern that the input must match. This is useful for validating formats like email addresses, phone numbers, or postal codes. The regex is applied to the Spotlight, and its acceptance is displayed immediately.
4. Custom Validator
- For more complex validation scenarios involving multiple conditions or dependencies between fields, the Custom Validator is ideal. It allows you to write custom JavaScript code to validate the input based on your specific requirements.
Best Practices for Validations
- Clear Naming: Ensure that Frames and Validators are clearly named to easily identify their purpose and area of application.
- Icon Visibility: Use the "Show Icon" option strategically. Visible icons can guide users, but hidden icons might reduce visual clutter in forms until needed.
- Use Appropriate Validators: Select the validator that best matches the data validation needs. For instance, use Regular Expressions for format-specific fields and Custom Validators for complex conditions.
- Testing: After setting up validations, thoroughly test them to ensure they function as expected across different scenarios.
Once you’ve selected the appropriate validator and configured the necessary parameters, remember to click "Save" to apply the validation to the selected field or area.
By following these strategies, you can effectively validate user inputs, ensuring data integrity and improving the overall user experience in your application.