Set the textfield (optional) in the form

hi Eric and everybody

I have a javascript function verify(f) performs form verification.And it will be invoked from the onSubmit() event handler.The function loops through the elements of the form,looking for all text and textarea elements that

do not have an "optional" property defined.
Firstly, I do not know how to set the textfield property which is optional that using javascript to check.

<input type="text" name="inputname" size="7"

/>
And,which function I can use to get the property optional in the javascript

It is not my homework but a passpaper exam question.
I use a lot of the time to search some books, but can not find out the answer.
Hope anybody can help me to solve the problem
thanks for your time and attention

look at my form validation utility (my sig), see if that helps
Eric

hi Eric

I see the Validation Utility Documentation but can not find out the answer

Let me explain more about the question
The function loops through the elements of the form,looking for all text and textarea elements that do not have an "optional" property defined.
For example,we fill in some information in the form that some details must fill(almost use * point out)but some textfield is optional to fill in.
Could the textfield be possible to define the property as optional,so that the javascript can use it to check?
I mean that using something like textfield.value to get the value.
thanks for your time

Your AI assignment/project seems to be very difficult

siu,
here is the code i wrote for ur req
function onError(form_object, input_object, object_value, error_message)
{
alert(error_message);
return false;
}

function hasValue(obj, obj_type)
{
if (obj_type == "TEXT" || obj_type == "PASSWORD")
{
if (obj.value.length == 0)
return false;
else
return true;
}

}
function checkFORM()
{
if (!hasValue(form.FIRST_NAME, "TEXT" ))
{
if (!onError(form, form.FIRST_NAME, form.FIRST_NAME.value, "The First Name field is a required entry and must be completed before the record can be saved."))
{
return false;
}
}

if (!hasValue(form.LAST_NAME, "TEXT" ))
{
if (!onError(form, form.LAST_NAME, form.LAST_NAME.value, "The Last Name field is a required entry and must be completed before the record can be saved."))
{
return false;
}
}

return true;
}
now the form( not posting html tags)
frst two boxes r req and teh third one optional
any probs reply
FORM NAME="form" ACTION="" METHOD="post" onSubmit = "return checkFORM(document.form)"

INPUT type="text" Name="FIRST_NAME"
INPUT TYPE="TEXT" Name="LAST_NAME"
input TYPE ="TEXT" name="BIRTH_DATE"
INPUT TYPE="submit"
NAME="saveButton"

hi sunitha

thanks for your time to answer the question

I may describe it ambiguous

The function loops through the elements of the form,looking for all text and textarea elements that do not have an "optional" property defined.
And using the following coding to check,because the user may add more than three textfields and textareas,so that using following loop can check all these which may contain the property "optional".

I think that textfield may contains some attributes which can use it to check whether it is optional.
Such as the first name that can be empty value that the function can get the first name property to know whether it is optional.
thanks agains

[ May 22, 2003: Message edited by: siu chung man ]

siu,
u have some text boxes and u need to validate only those text boxes which are required and u dont need to validate the other text boxes or text areas which are optional( which means user may or may not add no need to force the user). if that is yes my code will work.so frst tell me im a thinking in the rt direction u thinking

sunitha

thanks
Yes,your code works

I appreciate I seems to be waste your efforts and times.I am sorry.

The requirement without tell me how many textfields and textareas

If we can find out the property "optional" in textfield,we can write the coding more feasible..
And I am grateful if you can help me to find it out.

[ May 22, 2003: Message edited by: siu chung man ]

Originally posted by siu chung man:
sunitha
thanks
Yes,your code works
I appreciate I seems to be waste your efforts and times.I am sorry.
The requirement without tell me how many textfields and textareas
If we can find out the property "optional" in textfield,we can write the coding more feasible..
And I am grateful if you can help me to find it out.

[ May 22, 2003: Message edited by: siu chung man ]

siu,
pls dont say sorry just say i will take u out for dinner( chinese welcome)

The requirement without tell me how many textfields and textareas
can u pls explain this ..im confused...

thanks sunitha

pls dont say sorry just say i will take u out for dinner( chinese welcome)
I afraid you are angry because I know you spend a lot of time to write the coding and play the efforts.
The whole question is that
Write a javascript function verify(f) performs form verification.It will be invoked from the onSubmit() event handler.The function loops through the elements of the form,looking for all text and textarea elements that do not have an "optional" property defined. Then check for fields that are empty and make a list of them.If there were any errors,then display the error messages, and return false to prevent the form from being submitted,otherwise return true.

Actually,I get confusion too

,after I read a lot of times,and I use a lot of time to find out answer from the book called "Internet & world wide web how to program".
Finally, I find the book not to program

I wonder if you can help me.
thanks to spend time to read a long question

Server time about 11:45am
but Hong Knog time about 2:15am
I need to sleep,I will read it about eight hours later. thanks
[ May 22, 2003: Message edited by: siu chung man ]

Id' interpret the part about checking the "optional" property as this:

<html>
    <head>
        <script language="JavaScript">
        function verify(f) {
            for (var i = 0; i < f.elements.length; i++) {
                var e = f.elements[i];
                var info = e.name + " is type: " + e.type;
                if (e.optional == undefined || e.optional == "undefined") {
                    info += "\noptional property is undefined"
                } else {
                    info += "\noptional property is defined"
                }
                alert(info);
            }
            // since we're just testing, don't submit the form
            return false;
        }
        </script>
    </head>
    <body>
        <form name="form1 method="get" onSubmit="verify(this);">
            <input type="text" name="text1"><br>
            <input type="text" name="text2" optional="true"><br>
            <textarea name="textarea1" cols="5" rows="1"></textarea><br>
            <textarea name="textarea2" cols="5" rows="1" optional="true"></textarea><br>
            <input type="submit" name="submit1">
        </form>
    </body>
</html>

the que is so twisted to confuse u and u still confused

btw wat abt dinner
(u didnt answer that)
//that do not have an "optional" property defined.// this is to confuse u
ie means the req fields
check this
function formCheck(formobj){
//1) Enter name of mandatory fields
var fieldRequired = Array("FirstName", "LastName");
//2) Enter field description to appear in the dialog box
var fieldDescription = Array("First Name", "Last Name");
//3) Enter dialog message
var alertMsg = "Please complete the following fields:\n";

var l_Msg = alertMsg.length;

for (var i = 0; i < fieldRequired.length; i++){
var obj = formobj.elements[fieldRequired[i]];
if (obj){
switch(obj.type){
case "select-one":
if (obj.selectedIndex == -1 || obj.options[obj.selectedIndex].text == ""){
alertMsg += " - " + fieldDescription[i] + "\n";
}
break;
case "select-multiple":
if (obj.selectedIndex == -1){
alertMsg += " - " + fieldDescription[i] + "\n";
}
break;
case "text":
case "textarea":
if (obj.value == "" || obj.value == null){
alertMsg += " - " + fieldDescription[i] + "\n";
}
break;
default:
if (obj.value == "" || obj.value == null){
alertMsg += " - " + fieldDescription[i] + "\n";
}
}
}
}
if (alertMsg.length == l_Msg){
return true;
}else{
alert(alertMsg);
return false;
}
}
//-->

form name="formcheck" onsubmit="return formCheck(this);"
First Name: input type=text name="FirstName" size="25"
Last Name: input type=text name="LastName" size="25"
input type=submit value="Submit Form"
form

all I was showing you with my validation was how to get the attribute of the object by looping through the code without giving you the answer.

thanks James & sunitha & Eric & everybody help me to find out the answer

The answer were found out by James

,sunitha

answer also correct,thanks for your help again and again.
May be my requirement is high

,I find James answer that is more feasible.
Because the answer use the optional property that I think it may be feasible
<textarea name="textarea2" cols="5" rows="1"

optional="true" ></textarea>
I see the mentioned book "www how to program" which covered about 1000 pages but without this property.
Eric

I see your Validation Utility Documentation which is about the validation rule for different type of textfield such as check the pattern of ID.And all the textfields are required add something to it to check the pattern. I think it is more complex than my exam. Of course ,it is useful for my year 3 project,I must need it later.

thanks for everybody help~~~~~