Link in validation summary message - asp.net-mvc-3

Question

Is it possible to put a HTML link in validation summary message? For example I want to put a link to another page in case there is validation error:
#Html.ValidationSummary(False, "read more")
or
#Html.ValidationSummary(False, "read " &
Html.ActionLink("more", "helpforerror").ToHtmlString)
But in the browser the tag is escaped so it doesn't form a link.

Answer 1

I know you have accepted an answer, but i think my solution is more simple and will require less rewriting if you want to add links to existing validation summaries.
You need to put a {0} type format item in your validation message like below, which will be replaced by your link.
ModelState.AddModelError("", "Some error message with a link here {0}.");
then in your view call your validation summary like so:
#string.Format(Html.ValidationSummary().ToString(), Html.ActionLink("Click Here", "Action_To_Link_To")).ToHtmlString()
In this case i have used an extension method I added to the string object .ToHtmlString() that basically just converts the string to an HtmlString preventing any of the markup being escaped. it looks like this:
public static HtmlString ToHtmlString(this String str)
{
return new HtmlString(str);
}

Answer 2

Finally I chose another way to do it: create a div containing the link etc. outside of validation summary, and add the div only if modelstate is not valid:
#If Not ViewData.ModelState.IsValid Then
#<div>read more</div>
End If
This is inspired by an answer to similar question.

Answer 3

The validation text is encoded before the ValidationSumary or ValidationFor, etc...
you just need tu decode the html, then create an MvcHtmlString ...
Exemple :
#HttpUtility.HtmlDecode(Html.ValidationSummary().ToString()).ToMvcHtmlString()
this is an extension i have made to make MvcHtmlString :
namespace System
{
public static class StringExtension
{
public static System.Web.Mvc.MvcHtmlString ToMvcHtmlString(this string value)
{
return System.Web.Mvc.MvcHtmlString.Create(value);
}
}
}
or you can create an HtmlHelper if you plan to reuse this:
namespace System.Web.Mvc.Html
{
public static class FormHelper
{
public static MvcHtmlString ValidationSummaryEx(this HtmlHelper htmlHelper, bool excludePropertyErrors)
{
var original = htmlHelper.ValidationSummary(excludePropertyErrors);
var decoded = HttpUtility.HtmlDecode(original.ToString());
return decoded.ToMvcHtmlString();
}
}
}
Hope it help you or future viewer.
Note: it work for all validations Summary and ValidationFor ...

Answer 4

No, the default behaviour doesn't allow it, but you can make your own. This is what you need: Html raw in validationsummary

Answer 5

You can check if form is valid by jquery and update div with link text:
<div id="divToUpdate">
</div>
$('form').submit(function(){
if(!this.valid())
$('#divToUpdate').html("read <a href='anotherpage.html'>more</a>");
});

Answer 6

If you're sending back HTML in the ModelStateError, you can use this one liner:
#Html.Raw(HttpUtility.HtmlDecode(Html.ValidationSummary().ToHtmlString()))
It's very similar to what #Benoit had suggested, just without needing the extension.