Working with Validation

Overview

This guide shows how to apply data validation rules and conditional formatting to cell ranges in a worksheet using the Aspose.Cells FOSS for Java API. You will learn to restrict input values with Validation and highlight cells dynamically with FormatConditionCollection.

Data Validation

Add a whole-number validation rule to a range of cells:

import com.aspose.cells_foss.CellArea;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.OperatorType;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.Validation;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.ValidationType;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.Workbook;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.Worksheet;

try (Workbook workbook = new Workbook()) {
    WorksheetCollection sheets = workbook.getWorksheets();
    Worksheet sheet = sheets.get(0);
    int vi = sheet.getValidations().add(new CellArea(1, 0, 10, 0));
    Validation validation = sheet.getValidations().get(vi);
    validation.setType(ValidationType.WHOLE_NUMBER);
    validation.setOperator(OperatorType.BETWEEN);
    validation.setFormula1("1");
    validation.setFormula2("100");
    workbook.save("validated.xlsx");
}

Conditional Formatting

Apply bold formatting to cells containing values between 1 and 100:

import com.aspose.cells_foss.CellArea;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.FormatCondition;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.FormatConditionCollection;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.FormatConditionType;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.OperatorType;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.Style;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.Workbook;
import com.aspose.cells_foss.Worksheet;

try (Workbook workbook = new Workbook()) {
    WorksheetCollection sheets = workbook.getWorksheets();
    Worksheet sheet = sheets.get(0);
    int cfIndex = sheet.getConditionalFormattings().add();
    FormatConditionCollection conditions = sheet.getConditionalFormattings().get(cfIndex);
    conditions.addArea(CellArea.createCellArea("B2", "B11"));
    int condIndex = conditions.addCondition(
        FormatConditionType.CELL_VALUE, OperatorType.BETWEEN, "1", "100");
    FormatCondition condition = conditions.get(condIndex);
    Style style = condition.getStyle();
    style.getFont().setBold(true);
    condition.setStyle(style);
    workbook.save("conditional.xlsx");
}

Validation Types

ValidationType	Description
`WHOLE_NUMBER`	Accepts only integer values
`DECIMAL`	Accepts decimal numeric values
`LIST`	Restricts input to a predefined list
`DATE`	Restricts input to date values
`TEXT_LENGTH`	Restricts by character count

Working with Validation

Overview

Data Validation

Conditional Formatting

Validation Types

See Also