Added new kb article spreadprocessing-list-data-validation-cell-range

knowledge-base/spreadprocessing-list-data-validation-cell-range.md

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+---
+title: Setting List DataValidation Rule to Reference Cell Range in SpreadProcessing
+description: Learn how to set up List Data Validation rules in Telerik Document Processing's SpreadProcessing library to reference a cell range instead of using a comma-delimited list.
+type: how-to
+page_title: Creating List Data Validation Rules Using Cell Ranges in SpreadProcessing
+meta_title: Creating List Data Validation Rules Using Cell Ranges in SpreadProcessing
+slug: spreadprocessing-list-data-validation-cell-range
+tags: spreadprocessing, datavalidation, listdatavalidationrule, cellrange, telerik-document-processing
+res_type: kb
+ticketid: 1695747
+---
+
+## Environment
+
+<table>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td> Product </td>
+<td> SpreadProcessing for Telerik Document Processing </td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td> Version </td>
+<td> 2025.2.521 </td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
+
+## Description
+
+I want to set a List DataValidation rule in the SpreadProcessing library that uses a cell range as the validation source instead of a comma-delimited list of values. This avoids the 256-character limit imposed by Excel for comma-separated values. How can I achieve this?
+
+This knowledge base article also answers the following questions:
+- How to define validation rules with a cell range in SpreadProcessing?
+- How to bypass the character limit in validation rules by using cell ranges?
+- How to set up list validation using cell ranges in Telerik's SpreadProcessing?
+
+## Solution
+
+To set a List DataValidation rule that references a cell range, use the `ListDataValidationRule` and specify the cell range as the `Argument1`. Follow the steps below:
+
+1. Import the workbook using the `XlsxFormatProvider`.
+2. Specify the cell where the validation rule will apply using `CellIndex`.
+3. Define the validation parameters, including the cell range for allowed values.
+4. Create and assign the `ListDataValidationRule` to the target cell.
+5. Export the updated workbook.
+
+Here is an example:
+
+```csharp
+// Import the workbook
+Workbook workbook;
+IWorkbookFormatProvider xlsxFormatProvider = new XlsxFormatProvider();
+
+using (Stream input = new FileStream("input.xlsx", FileMode.Open))
+{
+    workbook = xlsxFormatProvider.Import(input, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10));
+}
+
+// Access the worksheet
+var worksheet = workbook.Worksheets[0];
+
+// Define the cell to apply validation
+CellIndex dataValidationRuleCellIndex = new CellIndex(4, 4);
+
+// Configure the validation rule context
+ListDataValidationRuleContext context = new ListDataValidationRuleContext(worksheet, dataValidationRuleCellIndex);
+context.InputMessageTitle = "Restricted input";
+context.InputMessageContent = "The input is restricted to the week days.";
+context.ErrorStyle = ErrorStyle.Stop;
+context.ErrorAlertTitle = "Wrong value";
+context.ErrorAlertContent = "The entered value is not valid. Allowed values are the week days!";
+context.InCellDropdown = true;
+
+// Set the cell range as the validation source
+context.Argument1 = "=$A$1:$A$26";
+
+// Create and apply the validation rule
+ListDataValidationRule rule = new ListDataValidationRule(context);
+worksheet.Cells[dataValidationRuleCellIndex].SetDataValidationRule(rule);
+
+// Export the workbook
+string xlsxOutputPath = "output.xlsx";
+using (Stream output = new FileStream(xlsxOutputPath, FileMode.Create))
+{
+    xlsxFormatProvider.Export(workbook, output, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10));
+}
+```
+
+## See Also
+
+- [Data Validation](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/document-processing/libraries/radspreadprocessing/features/data-validation#data-validation)
+- [List Rule](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/document-processing/libraries/radspreadprocessing/features/data-validation#list-rule)
+- [SpreadProcessing Overview](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/document-processing/libraries/radspreadprocessing/overview)