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Is it possible to clear objects with the get property after calling the class?

this below to sample code;
private ExampleStatus _status;
public ExampleStatus status
{
get
{
if (_status == null) _status = new ExampleStatus();
//if (_status.receivedData) _status.receivedData = false; //this line is incorrect !
return _status;
}
}
public class ExampleStatus
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }
public bool receivedData { get; set; }
//I don't want to use this method
public void Clear()
{
Id = 0;
Name = string.Empty;
receivedData = false;
}
}
int stateType = 0;
void ContinuousLoop(ExampleStatus statusObj)
{
while (true)
{
//I don't want to use the options below
//statusObj.Clear();
//or
//statusObj = new ExampleStatus();
if (stateType == 0)
{
statusObj.Id = 0;
statusObj.Name = "Firs Status";
}
else if (stateType == 1)
{
statusObj.Id = 1;
statusObj.Name = "Second Status";
statusObj.receivedData = true;
}
else if (stateType == 2)
{
statusObj.Id = 2;
statusObj.Name = "Third Status";
}
}
}
void RunThread()
{
var t1 = new Thread(() =>
{
ContinuousLoop(status);
});
t1.Start();
}
Is it possible to set default values ​​without a method or new instance, as shown in the example?
Actually that's why I'm asking this question:
I will use the class I have defined in many places. I will need to add a block of code, such as the Clear method, to every place I use it.
I'm also curious about one more thing. If I assign a new instance every time to reset my objects, does this cause problems in memory?
I know more or less how garbage collections work. However, they say that in practice it does not work as said in theory.
So if I add "IDisposable" to my Class, it would tell the garbage collector: Welcome, I'm a litter. Will you take me too?

Editing an enum in a class (member cannot be accessed with an instance reference)

I'm trying to edit an enum value in a class instance based on whether that instance appears in a dictionary of type <string, myClass>. What seems logical to me is to do the code snippets below:
if (pumpDict.ContainsKey(ID))
{
foreach(KeyValuePair<string, PumpItem> kvp in pumpDict)
{
if(kvp.Key == ID)
{
kvp.Value.state = kvp.Value.state.Available; //error here
kvp.Value.fuelPumped = fuelPumped;
kvp.Value.fuelCost = fuelCost;
break;
}
}
}
else
{
PumpItem pump = new PumpItem();
pumpDict.Add(ID, pump);
}
And my PumpItems class is such:
namespace PoSClientWPF
{
public enum pumpState
{
Available,
customerWaiting,
Pumping,
customerPaying
};
public enum fuelSelection
{
Petrol,
Diesel,
LPG,
Hydrogen,
None
};
class PumpItem
{
public double fuelPumped;
public double fuelCost;
public fuelSelection selection;
public pumpState state;
public PumpItem()//intialize constructor
{
this.fuelPumped = 0;
this.fuelCost = 0;
this.selection = fuelSelection.None;
this.state = pumpState.Available;
}
}
}
I was led to believe that to have an enum value in a constructor, they have to be set up as above, with a new instance of those enums declared in the class body.
It seems to me, that what I'm trying to do is logical but I am getting an error on the right hand side of the assignation which states:
"member PoSClientWPF.pumpState.Available cannot be accessed with an instance reference; qualify is with a type name instead"
I've searched for this error among several forums but only seem to find errors involving calling static variables incorrectly. Can anyone point me in the direction of a solution?
Thanks in advance.

You are incorrectly accessing the Enum member:
// this is incorrect
kvp.Value.state = kvp.Value.state.Available; //error here
// this is the correct way
kvp.Value.state = PoSClientWPF.pumpState.Available;

You know you have a dictionary?
PumpItem pumpItem = pumpDict[ID];
pumpItem.state = PoSClientWPF.pumpState.Available;
or
PumpItem pumpItem;
if (pumpDict.TryGetValue(ID, out pumpItem))
{
pumpItem.state = PoSClientWPF.pumpState.Available;
}
else
{
pumpItem = new PumpItem();
pumpDict.Add(ID, pumpItem);
}
Could just add ID to PumpItem and use a List
PumpItem pumpItem = pumpList.FirstOrDefualt(x => x.ID == ID)
if (pumpItem == null)
pumpList.Add(new PumpItem(ID));
else
pumpItem.state = PoSClientWPF.pumpState.Available;
class PumpItem
{
public double fuelPumped = 0;
public double fuelCost = 0;
public fuelSelection selection = fuelSelection.None;
public pumpState state = pumpState.Available;
public Int32? ID = null;
public PumpItem()//intialize constructor
{ }
public PumpItem(Int32? ID)
{
this.ID = ID;
}
}

ArgumentOutOfRangeException despite boundary checks

I have created custom button in winforms in which i've added property with a list of custom class: List<Zasoby> and a method to add item to this list only when there is already item in that list that meets specific criteria (the lambda .where expression).
The class Zasob is serializable.
And in designer i add first Zasob to the list in this button like this:
bt01008xxx.Zasoby.Add(new Zasob { Lokalizacja = new Lokalizacja("01", "008", "000") });
..
public class ZasobSzczegolowoButton: Button, IAddZasoby
{
private List<Zasob> _zasoby = new List<Zasob>(); //{ new Zasob { Lokalizacja = new Lokalizacja("01", "001", "000") } };
[EditorBrowsable(EditorBrowsableState.Always)]
[Browsable(true)]
[DesignerSerializationVisibility(DesignerSerializationVisibility.Visible)]
[Bindable(true)]
public List<Zasob> Zasoby
{
get { return _zasoby; }
set
{
_zasoby = value;
if (_zasoby.Any()) BackColor = _zasoby.Sum(x => x.Ilosc) > 0 ? Color.Coral : Color.White;
}
}
public void AddZasoby(List<Zasob> zasoby)
{
var buton = Name;
if (_zasoby != null && _zasoby.Count != 0)
{
var szukaneZasoby =
zasoby?.Where(
x =>
x.Lokalizacja.ObszarKod == _zasoby[0].Lokalizacja.ObszarKod &&
x.Lokalizacja.Segment1 == _zasoby[0].Lokalizacja.Segment1);
if (szukaneZasoby == null) return;
Zasoby.Clear();
Zasoby.AddRange(szukaneZasoby);
}
}
}
...
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class | AttributeTargets.Struct | AttributeTargets.Enum | AttributeTargets.Delegate,Inherited = false)]
[ComVisible(true)]
public class Zasob : Attribute
{
public Towar Towar { get; set; }
public Magazyn Magazyn { get; set; }
public Lokalizacja Lokalizacja { get; set; }
public decimal Ilosc { get; set; }
}
Now whenever i try to use method AddZasoby i get System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException. I check the list for null and count items and in debug mode and it shoud exit method but still somehow ends up in the body of the method with the error. (please see the screenshot below)
Any idea what am i doing wrong?

You check the list correctly for the count but with the code Zasoby.Clear(); you clear those elements from the member variable _zasoby again.
Don't let it trick yourself: You're defining the Where()-clause before you clear the list but it will be executed afterwards! That's the trick with lambdas, the predicates you wrote in your Where()-lambda will just be executed as soon as it is evaluated.
This feature is called Deferred Execution, see the first example here.
To fix that, you can enforce the lambda to be executed immediately by calling ToArray() or ToList() before you clear your list like:
public void AddZasoby(List<Zasob> zasoby)
{
var buton = Name;
if (_zasoby != null && _zasoby.Count != 0)
{
var szukaneZasoby =
zasoby?.Where(
x =>
x.Lokalizacja.ObszarKod == _zasoby[0].Lokalizacja.ObszarKod &&
x.Lokalizacja.Segment1 == _zasoby[0].Lokalizacja.Segment1
).ToList(); // *** NOTE ME HERE ***
if (szukaneZasoby == null) return;
Zasoby.Clear();
Zasoby.AddRange(szukaneZasoby);
}
}
That should do the trick.

C# Generic parameter from a string variable

I have two classes, Customer and Country. Customer has a property called HomeCountry, which i have decorated with a custom attribute called "Lookup" and takes a string parameter "Country". The purpose is, when I am using the Customer class, the item in HomeCountry must exist in the Country class (which happens to be a list).
I am using reflection to iterate the Customer class, it finds the attribute and i want it to check the value in the list of country items. So far I have:
foreach (PropertyInfo _pi in object.GetType().GetProperties()) {
IEnumerable<Attribute> _attrs = _pi.GetCustomAttributes();
foreach (Attribute _a in _attrs) {
Object obj = Activator.CreateInstance(_type, null);
// what goes here?
}
}
I have a method:
public T Populate<T>(params string[] _parameters)
I think i want to do
List<obj> v = populate<obj>();
or
List<typeof(obj)> v = populate<typeof(obj)>();
but obviously nothing works! Can anybody help me ?
Thanks

OK i will try and provide a full example:
I have a CUSTOMER_ORDER class:
public class CUSTOMER_ORDER {
public CUSTOMER_ORDER() {}
[Key(0)]
public string OrderNumber {get;set;}
public MPCCOM_SHIP_VIA ShipVia {get;set;}
}
Then the MPCCOM_SHIP_VIA class:
public class MPCCOM_SHIP_VIA {
public MPCCOM_SHIP_VIA() {}
[Key(0)]
public string ID {get;set;}
public string Description {get;set;}
}
I have a method called Populate< T > which takes a class and then uses reflection to loop all the properties and build a select statement, executes it, and then returns the data and populates the object:
public T Populate<T>(params string[] #Parameters)
{
Type _t = typeof(T);
dynamic _o = Activator.CreateInstance(typeof(T), null);
SqlBuilder _sb = new SqlBuilder();
_sb.Table = string.Format("{0}.{1}", _Owner, _t.Name.ToString());
foreach (PropertyInfo p in _t.GetProperties(Utilities.BindingFlags))
{
if (p.GetMethod.IsPrivate == false) _sb.Fields.Add(p.Name.ToString());
IEnumerable<Attribute> _attrs = p.GetCustomAttributes();
foreach (Attribute _a in _attrs)
{
if (_a.TypeId.ToString().Equals(typeof(Key).FullName))
{
int _position = ((Key)_a).Position;
try
{
string _parameter = #Parameters[_position];
_sb.Where.Add(string.Format("{0} = '{1}'", p.Name, _parameter));
}
catch {}
}
}
}
using (OleDbCommand _cmd = new OleDbCommand())
{
_cmd.Connection = this._cn;
_cmd.CommandText = _sb.SQL;
if (_trn != null) _cmd.Transaction = _trn;
_cmd.CommandType = System.Data.CommandType.Text;
using (OleDbDataReader _reader = _cmd.ExecuteReader())
{
if (_reader.Read())
{
for (int x = 0; x < _reader.FieldCount; x++)
{
foreach (PropertyInfo p in _t.GetProperties(Utilities.BindingFlags))
{
if (p.GetMethod.IsPrivate == false)
{
if (p.Name.Equals(_reader.GetName(x).ToString()))
{
dynamic _val = _reader.GetValue(x);
if (p.ReflectedType.BaseType.Name.Equals(""))
{
// what goes here!
}
try
{
p.GetSetMethod(true).Invoke(_o, new object[] { _val });
}
catch { }
break;
}
}
}
}
}
else
{
throw new DatabaseObjectNotFound(_t.Name.ToString(), string.Join(",",#Parameters));
}
}
}
return (T)_o;
}
So, as i read an order, the source DB gets the key to the MPCCOM_SHIP_VIA in the respective field, i want to call the same Populate method against the MPCCOM_SHIP_VIA object with the key. I hope this makes more sense demonstrating what i want to do. And thanks

After some hunting around, this is the answer i was looking for...
MethodInfo method = typeof(class).GetMethod("Populate");
method = method.MakeGenericMethod(p.PropertyType);
_val = method.Invoke(class, new object[] { _prms });
I guess my issue was i was asking the wrong question!

Where's the best place for validation... constructor or leave to client to call?

This is really a generic (and probably a more subjective too) question. I have some classes where I use an interface to define a standard approach to validating the object state. When I did this, I got to scratching my head... is it best to
1.) allow the constructor (or initializing method) to silently filter out the errant information automatically or...
2.) allow the client to instantiate the object however and let the client also call the interface's IsValid property or Validate() method before moving forward?
Basically one approach is silent but could be misleading in that the client may not be aware that certain pieces of information were filtered away due to it not meeting the validation criteria. The other approach then would be more straight forward, but also adds a step or two? What's typical here?
Okay, after a long day of trying to keep up with some other things, I finally did come up with an example. Please for me for it as it's not ideal and by no means something wonderful, but hopefully should serve well enough to get the point across. My current project is just too complicated to put something simple out for this, so I made something up... and trust me... totally made up.
Alright, the objects in the example are this:
Client: representing client-side code (Console App btw)
IValidationInfo: This is the actual interface I'm using in my current project. It allows me to create a validation framework for the "back-end" objects not necessarily intended for the Client to use since the business logic could be complicated enough. This also allowed me to separate validation code and call as-needed for the business logic.
OrderManager: This is an object the client-side code can use to manage their orders. It's client-friendly so-to-speak.
OrderSpecification: This is an object the client-side code can use to request an order. But if the business logic doesn't work out, an exception can be raised (or if necessary the order not added and exceptions ignored...) In my real-world example I actually have an object that's not quite so black-and-white as to which side of this fence it goes... thus my original question when I realized I could push validation request (calling IsValid or Validate()) to the cilent.
CustomerDescription: represents customers to which I've classified (pretending to have been read from a DB.
Product: Represents a particular product which is classified also.
OrderDescription: Represents the official order request.The business rule is that the Customer cannot order anything to which they've not been classified (I know.. that's not very real-world, but it gave me something to work with...)
Ok... I just realized I can't attach a file here, so here's the code. I apologize for it's lengthy appearance. That was the best I could do to create a client-friendly front-end and business logic back-end using my Validation interface:
public class Client
{
static OrderManager orderMgr = new OrderManager();
static void Main(string[] args)
{
//Request a new order
//Note: Only the OrderManager and OrderSpecification are used by the Client as to keep the
// Client from having to know and understand the framework beyond that point.
OrderSpecification orderSpec = new OrderSpecification("Customer1", new Product(IndustryCategory.FoodServices, "Vending Items"));
orderMgr.SubmitOrderRequest(orderSpec);
Console.WriteLine("The OrderManager has {0} items for {1} customers.", orderMgr.ProductCount, orderMgr.CustomerCount);
//Now add a second item proving that the business logic to add for an existing customer works
Console.WriteLine("Adding another valid item for the same customer.");
orderSpec = new OrderSpecification("Customer1", new Product(IndustryCategory.FoodServices, "Sodas"));
orderMgr.SubmitOrderRequest(orderSpec);
Console.WriteLine("The OrderManager now has {0} items for {1} customers.", orderMgr.ProductCount, orderMgr.CustomerCount);
Console.WriteLine("Adding a new valid order for a new customer.");
orderSpec = new OrderSpecification("Customer2", new Product(IndustryCategory.Residential, "Magazines"));
orderMgr.SubmitOrderRequest(orderSpec);
Console.WriteLine("The OrderManager now has {0} items for {1} customers.", orderMgr.ProductCount, orderMgr.CustomerCount);
Console.WriteLine("Adding a invalid one will not work because the customer is not set up to receive these kinds of items. Should get an exception with message...");
try
{
orderSpec = new OrderSpecification("Customer3", new Product(IndustryCategory.Residential, "Magazines"));
orderMgr.SubmitOrderRequest(orderSpec);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
}
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
public interface IValidationInfo
{
string[] ValidationItems { get; }
bool IsValid { get; }
void Validate();
List<string> GetValidationErrors();
string GetValidationError(string itemName);
}
public class OrderManager
{
private List<OrderDescription> _orders = new List<OrderDescription>();
public List<OrderDescription> Orders
{
get { return new List<OrderDescription>(_orders); }
private set { _orders = value; }
}
public int ProductCount
{
get
{
int itemCount = 0;
this.Orders.ForEach(o => itemCount += o.Products.Count);
return itemCount;
}
}
public int CustomerCount
{
get
{
//since there's only one customer per order, just return the number of orders
return this.Orders.Count;
}
}
public void SubmitOrderRequest(OrderSpecification orderSpec)
{
if (orderSpec.IsValid)
{
List<OrderDescription> orders = this.Orders;
//Since the particular customer may already have an order, we might as well add to an existing
OrderDescription existingOrder = orders.FirstOrDefault(o => string.Compare(orderSpec.Order.Customer.Name, o.Customer.Name, true) == 0) as OrderDescription;
if (existingOrder != null)
{
List<Product> existingProducts = orderSpec.Order.Products;
orderSpec.Order.Products.ForEach(p => existingOrder.AddProduct(p));
}
else
{
orders.Add(orderSpec.Order);
}
this.Orders = orders;
}
else
orderSpec.Validate(); //Let the OrderSpecification pass the business logic validation down the chain
}
}
public enum IndustryCategory
{
Residential,
Textile,
FoodServices,
Something
}
public class OrderSpecification : IValidationInfo
{
public OrderDescription Order { get; private set; }
public OrderSpecification(string customerName, Product product)
{
//Should use a method in the class to search and retrieve Customer... pretending here
CustomerDescription customer = null;
switch (customerName)
{
case "Customer1":
customer = new CustomerDescription() { Name = customerName, Category = IndustryCategory.FoodServices };
break;
case "Customer2":
customer = new CustomerDescription() { Name = customerName, Category = IndustryCategory.Residential };
break;
case "Customer3":
customer = new CustomerDescription() { Name = customerName, Category = IndustryCategory.Textile };
break;
}
//Create an OrderDescription to potentially represent the order... valid or not since this is
//a specification being used to request the order
this.Order = new OrderDescription(new List<Product>() { product }, customer);
}
#region IValidationInfo Members
private readonly string[] _validationItems =
{
"OrderDescription"
};
public string[] ValidationItems
{
get { return _validationItems; }
}
public bool IsValid
{
get
{
List<string> validationErrors = GetValidationErrors();
if (validationErrors != null && validationErrors.Count > 0)
return false;
else
return true;
}
}
public void Validate()
{
List<string> errorMessages = GetValidationErrors();
if (errorMessages != null && errorMessages.Count > 0)
{
StringBuilder errorMessageReported = new StringBuilder();
errorMessages.ForEach(em => errorMessageReported.AppendLine(em));
throw new Exception(errorMessageReported.ToString());
}
}
public List<string> GetValidationErrors()
{
List<string> errorMessages = new List<string>();
foreach (string item in this.ValidationItems)
{
string errorMessage = GetValidationError(item);
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(errorMessage))
errorMessages.Add(errorMessage);
}
return errorMessages;
}
public string GetValidationError(string itemName)
{
switch (itemName)
{
case "OrderDescription":
return ValidateOrderDescription();
default:
return "Invalid item name.";
}
}
#endregion
private string ValidateOrderDescription()
{
string errorMessage = string.Empty;
if (this.Order == null)
errorMessage = "Order was not instantiated.";
else
{
if (!this.Order.IsValid)
{
List<string> orderErrors = this.Order.GetValidationErrors();
orderErrors.ForEach(ce => errorMessage += "\n" + ce);
}
}
return errorMessage;
}
}
public class CustomerDescription : IValidationInfo
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public string Street { get; set; }
public string City { get; set; }
public string State { get; set; }
public int ZipCode { get; set; }
public IndustryCategory Category { get; set; }
#region IValidationInfo Members
private readonly string[] _validationItems =
{
"Name",
"Street",
"City",
"State",
"ZipCode",
"Category"
};
public string[] ValidationItems
{
get { return _validationItems; }
}
public bool IsValid
{
get
{
List<string> validationErrors = GetValidationErrors();
if (validationErrors != null && validationErrors.Count > 0)
return false;
else
return true;
}
}
public void Validate()
{
List<string> errorMessages = GetValidationErrors();
if (errorMessages != null && errorMessages.Count > 0)
{
StringBuilder errorMessageReported = new StringBuilder();
errorMessages.ForEach(em => errorMessageReported.AppendLine(em));
throw new Exception(errorMessageReported.ToString());
}
}
public List<string> GetValidationErrors()
{
List<string> errorMessages = new List<string>();
foreach (string item in this.ValidationItems)
{
string errorMessage = GetValidationError(item);
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(errorMessage))
errorMessages.Add(errorMessage);
}
return errorMessages;
}
public string GetValidationError(string itemName)
{
//Validation methods should be called here... pretending nothings wrong for sake of discussion & simplicity
switch (itemName)
{
case "Name":
return string.Empty;
case "Street":
return string.Empty;
case "City":
return string.Empty;
case "State":
return string.Empty;
case "ZipCode":
return string.Empty;
case "Category":
return string.Empty;
default:
return "Invalid item name.";
}
}
#endregion
}
public class Product
{
public IndustryCategory Category { get; private set; }
public string Description { get; private set; }
public Product(IndustryCategory category, string description)
{
this.Category = category;
this.Description = description;
}
}
public class OrderDescription : IValidationInfo
{
public CustomerDescription Customer { get; private set; }
private List<Product> _products = new List<Product>();
public List<Product> Products
{
get { return new List<Product>(_products); }
private set { _products = value; }
}
public OrderDescription(List<Product> products, CustomerDescription customer)
{
this.Products = products;
this.Customer = customer;
}
public void PlaceOrder()
{
//If order valid, place
if (this.IsValid)
{
//Do stuff to place order
}
else
Validate(); //cause the exceptions to be raised with the validate because business rules were broken
}
public void AddProduct(Product product)
{
List<Product> productsToEvaluate = this.Products;
//some special read, validation, quantity check, pre-existing, etc here
// doing other stuff...
productsToEvaluate.Add(product);
this.Products = productsToEvaluate;
}
#region IValidationInfo Members
private readonly string[] _validationItems =
{
"Customer",
"Products"
};
public string[] ValidationItems
{
get { return _validationItems; }
}
public bool IsValid
{
get
{
List<string> validationErrors = GetValidationErrors();
if (validationErrors != null && validationErrors.Count > 0)
return false;
else
return true;
}
}
public void Validate()
{
List<string> errorMessages = GetValidationErrors();
if (errorMessages != null && errorMessages.Count > 0)
{
StringBuilder errorMessageReported = new StringBuilder();
errorMessages.ForEach(em => errorMessageReported.AppendLine(em));
throw new Exception(errorMessageReported.ToString());
}
}
public List<string> GetValidationErrors()
{
List<string> errorMessages = new List<string>();
foreach (string item in this.ValidationItems)
{
string errorMessage = GetValidationError(item);
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(errorMessage))
errorMessages.Add(errorMessage);
}
return errorMessages;
}
public string GetValidationError(string itemName)
{
switch (itemName)
{
case "Customer":
return ValidateCustomer();
case "Products":
return ValidateProducts();
default:
return "Invalid item name.";
}
}
#endregion
#region Validation Methods
private string ValidateCustomer()
{
string errorMessage = string.Empty;
if (this.Customer == null)
errorMessage = "CustomerDescription is missing a valid value.";
else
{
if (!this.Customer.IsValid)
{
List<string> customerErrors = this.Customer.GetValidationErrors();
customerErrors.ForEach(ce => errorMessage += "\n" + ce);
}
}
return errorMessage;
}
private string ValidateProducts()
{
string errorMessage = string.Empty;
if (this.Products == null || this.Products.Count <= 0)
errorMessage = "Invalid Order. Missing Products.";
else
{
foreach (Product product in this.Products)
{
if (product.Category != Customer.Category)
{
errorMessage += string.Format("\nThe Product, {0}, category does not match the required Customer category for {1}", product.Description, Customer.Name);
}
}
}
return errorMessage;
}
#endregion
}

Any reason you wouldn't want the constructor to noisily throw an exception if the information is valid? It's best to avoid ever creating an object in an invalid state, in my experience.

It's completely depends on the client. There's a trade-off as you already mentioned. By default approach number 1 is my favorite. Creating smart classes with good encapsulation and hiding details from client. The level of smartness depends who is going to use the object. If client is business aware you can reveal details according to the level of this awareness. This is a dichotomy and should not be treated as black or white.

Well if I correctly understood, there are basically two question - whether you should fail right away or later and whether you should omit/assume certain information.
1) I always prefer failing as soon as possible - good example is failing at compile time vs failing at run time - you always want to fail at compile time. So if something is wrong with the state of some object, as Jon said - throw exception right away as loudly as you can and deal with it - do not introduce additional complexity down the road as you'll be heading for if/elseif/elseif/elseif/else mumbo jumbo.
2) When it comes to user input, if you are in position to simply filter out errors automatically - just do it. For example, I almost never ask users for country - if I really need it, I automatically detect it from IP and display it in the form. It's way easier if user just needs to confirm/change the data - and I don't need to deal with null situation.
Now, in case we are talking about the data generated by code during some processing - for me situation is drastically different - I always want to know an much as possible (for easier debugging down the road) and ideally you never should destroy any piece of information.
To wrap up, in your case I would recommend that you keep IsValid as simple yes/no (not yes/no/maybe/kindaok/etc). If you can fix some problems automatically - do it, but consider that they keep object in IsValid yes. For everything else, you throw exception and go to IsValid=no.