Constraining Data Values

Client datasets can enforce constraints on the edits a user makes to data. These constraints are applied when the user tries to post changes to the change log. You can always supply custom constraints. These let you provide your own, application-defined limits on what values users post to a client dataset.

In addition, when client datasets represent server data that is accessed using the BDE, they also enforce data constraints imported from the database server. If the client dataset works with an external provider component, the provider can control whether those constraints are sent to the client dataset, and the client dataset can control whether it uses them. For details on how the provider controls whether constraints are included in data packets, see Handling server constraints. For details on how and why client dataset can turn off enforcement of server constraints, see Handling constraints from the server.

Specifying custom constraints

You can use the properties of the client dataset's field components to impose your own constraints on what data users can enter. Each field component has two properties that you can use to specify constraints:

The DefaultExpression property defines a default value that is assigned to the field if the user does not enter a value. Note that if the database server or source dataset also assigns a default expression for the field, the client dataset's version takes precedence because it is assigned before the update is applied back to the database server or source dataset.
The CustomConstraint property lets you assign a constraint condition that must be met before a field value can be posted. Custom constraints defined this way are applied in addition to any constraints imported from the server. For more information about working with custom constraints on field components, see Creating a custom constraint.

In addition, you can create record-level constraints using the client dataset's Constraints property. Constraints is a collection of TCheckConstraint objects, where each object represents a separate condition. Use the CustomConstraint property of a TCheckConstraint object to add your own constraints that are checked when you post records.