server/AyaNova/DataList/AyaDataList.cs

@@ -77,6 +77,44 @@ namespace AyaNova.DataList
 
             return sb.ToString();
         }
+
+        //make sure the template parses and all the fields specified are really existant
+        //this is more for dev errors or api users becuase the client shouldn't generate bad templates
+        public bool ValidateTemplate(string template)
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                //parse the template
+                var jtemplate = JObject.Parse(template);
+                var fullFields = ((JArray)jtemplate["full"]).ToObject<string[]>();
+                var miniFields = ((JArray)jtemplate["mini"]).ToObject<string[]>();
+
+                foreach (string s in fullFields)
+                {
+                    AyaDataListFieldDefinition o = FieldDefinitions.FirstOrDefault(x => x.FieldKey == s);                   
+                    if (o == null)
+                    {
+                        return false;
+                    }
+                }
+
+                foreach (string s in miniFields)
+                {
+                    AyaDataListFieldDefinition o = FieldDefinitions.FirstOrDefault(x => x.FieldKey == s);                   
+                    if (o == null)
+                    {
+                        return false;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            catch
+            {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            return true;
+        }
+
     }//eoc
 
 }//eons

server/AyaNova/DataList/DataListFetcher.cs

@@ -32,19 +32,19 @@ namespace AyaNova.DataList
             }
 
             //FETCH DATALISTTEMPLATE HERE OR USE DEFAULT IF FAULTY OR NOT FOUND
-
             //start with default
-            string JSONDataListTemplate=DataList.DefaultDataListDisplayTemplate;
+            string JSONDataListTemplate = DataList.DefaultDataListDisplayTemplate;
 
             var CustomDataListTemplate = await ct.DataListTemplate.FirstOrDefaultAsync(x => x.DataListKey == listOptions.DataListKey);
-            //Null is expected unless user has created a new one
-            if(CustomDataListTemplate!=null){
-                //todo: validate the template first here need a new method to do that
-                //Assuming it's valid then use it
-                JSONDataListTemplate = CustomDataListTemplate.Template;
+            //Null is expected unless user has created a custom one
+            if (CustomDataListTemplate != null)
+            {
+                //Make sure it's valid, if not then don't use it
+                if (DataList.ValidateTemplate(CustomDataListTemplate.Template))
+                    JSONDataListTemplate = CustomDataListTemplate.Template;
             }
-           
-            
+
+
 
             //PARSE THE TEMPLATE INTO A STRING ARRAY
             //SO WE KNOW WHICH FIELDS TO RETURN FROM QUERY

server/AyaNova/DataList/IAyaDataList.cs

@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ namespace AyaNova.DataList
         string GenerateMINIListColumnsJSON();
         string GenerateListColumnsJSONFromTemplate(string template);
 
+        bool ValidateTemplate(string template);
+
 
     }