3.11. Configuring Validation Exceptions

You can set a maximum number of validation failures per Smooks filter operation. (An exception will be thrown if this maximum is exceeded.) Validations configured with OnFail.FATAL will always throw an exception and stop processing.
To configure the maximum validation failures, add this code to your Smooks configuration:
```
<params>
    <param name="validation.maxFails">5</param>
</params>
```
The onFail attribute in the validation configuration specifies what action is to be taken. This determines how validation failures are to be reported. To utilize it, modify the following options to suit your needs:
- OK: Use this to save the validation as "okay". By calling ValidationResults.getOks all validation warnings will be returned. This option is useful for content-based routing.
- WARN: Use this to save the validation as a warning. By calling ValidationResults.getWarnings all validation warnings will be returned.
- ERROR: Use this to save the validation as an error. By calling ValidationResults.getErrors you will return all validation errors.
- FATAL: Use this to throw a ValidationException as soon as a validation failure occurs. If you call ValidationResults.getFatal you will see the fatal validation failure.