code: public function applyValidationRules($value = '', ValidationStatus $validation = null, \ElggEntity $entity = null) {
  
  		if (!$validation instanceof ValidationStatus) {
  			$validation = new ValidationStatus;
  		}
  
  		$validation_rules = $this->getValidationRules();
  		if (!empty($validation_rules)) {
  			foreach ($validation_rules as $rule => $expectation) {
  				$validation = elgg_trigger_plugin_hook("validate:$rule", 'prototyper', array(
  					'rule' => $rule,
  					'field' => $this,
  					'value' => $value,
  					'expectation' => $expectation,
  					'entity' => $entity,
  						), $validation);
  
  				if (!$validation instanceof ValidationStatus) {
  					elgg_log("'validate:$rule,'prototyper' hook must return an instance of ValidationStatus", 'ERROR');
  					$validation = new ValidationStatus();
  				}
  			}
  		}
  		return $validation;
  	}
docs: {@inheritdoc}