Data validation

Data validation restricts what users can type into a cell — for example only allowing integers, decimals, dates, or values picked from a list. When a user enters something that breaks the rule, Excel surfaces a warning when the file is opened. Note that the extension itself does not check values at write time; it just persists the rule in the workbook.

There are two steps:

1. Build a rule with Vtiful\Kernel\Validation.
2. Apply it to a range with Excel::validation(string $range, $validationHandle). $validationHandle is the resource returned by Validation::toResource().

Function prototype

\Vtiful\Kernel\Excel::validation(string $range, resource $validationHandle): self

string $range

The cell range to apply the rule to, in A1 notation, for example A1, A1:A10, B2:D8.

resource $validationHandle

The resource handle returned by Validation::toResource().

Sub-sections

• Drop-down list
• Range constraint
• Greater than constraint
• Validation API reference

Example

The most common case — restrict A1:A10 to integers between 1 and 100.

$config = ['path' => './'];
$excel  = new \Vtiful\Kernel\Excel($config);

$validation = new \Vtiful\Kernel\Validation();
$validation->validationType(\Vtiful\Kernel\Validation::TYPE_INTEGER)
    ->criteriaType(\Vtiful\Kernel\Validation::CRITERIA_BETWEEN)
    ->minimumNumber(1)
    ->maximumNumber(100);

$excel->fileName('tutorial.xlsx')
    ->header(['Score'])
    ->validation('A1:A10', $validation->toResource())
    ->output();