Added new kb article spreadprocessing-list-data-validation-cell-range (#609)

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

* Polished KB

* Adressed comments.

---------

Co-authored-by: KB Bot <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: PROGRESS\ykaraman <[email protected]>

Author: 3 people

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

@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+---
+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, list, data, validation, rule, cell, range, telerik, document, processing, libraries
+res_type: kb
+ticketid: 1695747
+---
+
+# Environment
+| Version | Product | Author | 
+| --- | --- | ---- | 
+| 2025.3.806 | RadSpreadProcessing |[Yoan Karamanov](https://www.telerik.com/blogs/author/yoan-karamanov)| 
+
+## Description
+
+This article describes how to set a [List Data Validation]({%slug radspreadprocessing-features-data-validation%}#list-rule) rule in the [SpreadProcessing]({%slug radspreadprocessing-overview%}) 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.
+
+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 Data Validation]({%slug radspreadprocessing-features-data-validation%}#list-rule) 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`]({%slug radspreadprocessing-formats-and-conversion-xlsx-xlsxformatprovider%}).
+2. Specify the cell where the validation rule will apply using [`CellIndex`]({%slug radspreadprocessing-working-with-cells-accessing-cells-of-worksheet%}#accessing-cells-of-a-worksheet).
+3. Define the validation parameters, including the cell range for allowed values.
+4. Create and assign the [`ListDataValidationRule`]({%slug radspreadprocessing-features-data-validation%}#list-rule) to the target cell.
+5. Export the updated workbook using the [`XlsxFormatProvider`]({%slug radspreadprocessing-formats-and-conversion-xlsx-xlsxformatprovider%}).
+
+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]({%slug radspreadprocessing-features-data-validation%}#data-validation)
+* [List Rule]({%slug radspreadprocessing-features-data-validation%}#list-rule)
+* [SpreadProcessing Overview]({%slug radspreadprocessing-overview%})

libraries/radspreadprocessing/features/data-validation.md

@@ -377,4 +377,5 @@ __Example 11__ demonstrates how to evaluate a rule using the __Evaluate()__ meth
 
 * [Protection]({%slug radspreadprocessing-features-protection-workbook%})
 * [Formulas]({%slug radspreadprocessing-features-formulas-general-information%})
-* [Adding a ComboBox to an Excel File Using RadSpreadProcessing]({%slug adding-combobox-to-excel-file-radspreadprocessing%})
+* [Adding a ComboBox to an Excel File Using RadSpreadProcessing]({%slug adding-combobox-to-excel-file-radspreadprocessing%})
+* [Setting List DataValidation Rule to Reference Cell Range in SpreadProcessing]({%slug spreadprocessing-list-data-validation-cell-range%})