Custom Form Field Validation via External Metadata Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing form management systems lack the ability to implement custom validation rules for fields, which are essential for different customer organizations with unique requirements, leading to inefficiencies in data validation and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A server system that receives and stores custom validation rules as metadata, allowing each customer to specify additional rules beyond the initial set provided by the developer, with user interface modules validating user inputs against applicable rules, including role-based and trigger-based validation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed validation rules are embedded in application logic, then validation functionality is provided, but custom validation rules for different customer organizations cannot be implemented
Solution Approach 1:
The validation rules are segmented into two distinct layers: fixed validation rules embedded in application logic and custom validation rules stored externally in a database. This segmentation allows the system to maintain both predefined validation functionality and customer-specific customization capabilities without mixing the two rule sets, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Custom validation rules are extracted from the application logic and stored separately in a database. This extraction enables customer organizations to define and modify their own validation rules independently of the core application, providing adaptability while keeping the application logic simple and maintainable.
2Adaptability or versatility
If validation rules are hard-coded in application logic, then validation is performed, but flexibility for different customer requirements is lost
Solution Approach 1:
Fixed validation rules are prepared and embedded in the application logic during the deployment phase, while custom validation rules are pre-configured in the database. This preliminary preparation of both rule types ensures that the system can be deployed easily with default functionality while already supporting customer-specific customizations without requiring complex post-deployment modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
A database serves as an intermediary layer between the application logic and custom validation rules. This intermediary allows the application to access and enforce customer-specific rules without having them hard-coded, providing flexibility while maintaining ease of deployment through standardized data access mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If custom validation rules are added for each customer, then specific requirements are met, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The validation system is designed with universal architecture that handles both fixed and custom validation rules through a unified interface. The application logic remains general-purpose while the database stores customer-specific variations, allowing the same system to serve multiple customers with different requirements without increasing complexity in the core logic.
Solution Approach 2:
Custom validation rules are stored as data records in the database that can be copied and reused across different customer organizations. This copying mechanism allows common validation patterns to be replicated without recreating them, reducing system complexity while maintaining adaptability to specific customer needs.
Data Source
AI summary
A server system provided according to an aspect of the present disclosure receives validation rules for fields of a form, and stores the validation rules as metadata in a memory. When values are later received based on the form, the values are validated using the rules in the metadata. Any errors detected are notified to a user system from which the values are received. The values are forwarded to a corresponding application if no errors are detected. According to another aspect, a developer of the application provides an initial set of validation rules prior to the application being deployed at a customer site. The customer then specifies additional rules. The metadata stores both the initial rules and the additional rules. A user interface module validates each received value against any applicable rules present in the metadata.