Using the <i class="emphasis">ErrorProvider</i> Class

Using the ErrorProvider Class

The ErrorProvider class gives you a user interface when you want to indicate that there's an error associated with a control in a form; an icon will appear next to the control and an error message in the icon's tool tip. Here is the inheritance hierarchy for this class:

Object
   MarshalByRefObject
      Component
         ErrorProvider

You can find the more notable public properties of ErrorProvider objects in Table 21.11, and their more notable methods in Table 21.12. (This class has no non-inherited events.)

Table 21.11: Noteworthy public properties of *ErrorProvider* objects.
Property	Means
BlinkRate	Gets/sets the error icon blink rate.
BlinkStyle	Gets/sets if the error icon flashes.
ContainerControl	Gets/sets the parent control for this error provider.
DataMember	Gets/sets the data table to watch.
DataSource	Gets/sets dataset to watch.
Icon	Gets/sets the icon to be displayed next to a control when you've assigned a non-empty string to the error provider.

Table 21.12: Noteworthy public methods of *ErrorProvider* objects.
Method	Means
BindToDataAndErrors	Sets both the DataSource and DataMember properties at run time.
GetError	Returns the error description string.
GetIconAlignment	Gets the position of the error icon with respect to the control.
GetIconPadding	Gets the space to leave next to the icon.
SetError	Sets the error text.
SetIconAlignment	Sets the position of the error icon with respect to the control.
SetIconPadding	Sets the space to leave next to the icon.
UpdateBinding	Lets you update the data bindings and the text in the error provider.