Validating array inputs using jquery validation plugin

I have the following form. I am trying to validate the inputs using jquery validation plugin. I have tried some codes but its not working. When I click on the submit button it just goes to form's action.

<form name="voucherform" action="something" method="post">
  <input type="text" name="reg_number[]" value="" />
  <input type="text" name="reg_number[]" value="" />
  <input type="text" name="reg_number[]" value="" />
  <input type="submit" name="submit" value="submit" />

Could you please show me how to validate the above form using jquery validation plugin?

Thanks :)

My Jquery code:

 <script type="text/javascript" src="<?php echo base_url();?>support/datepicker/js/jquery-1.7.2.min.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="<?php echo base_url();?>support/js/jquery.validate.js"></script>

 <script>
  $(document).ready(function() {

// validate signup form on keyup and submit
var validator = $("#voucherform").validate({
    showErrors: function(errorMap, errorList) {
        $(".errormsg").html($.map(errorList, function (el) {
            return el.message;
        }).join(", "));
    },
    wrapper: "span",
    rules: {

        reg_number[]: {
            required: true,
            minlength: 2,
            remote: {
                url: '<?php echo base_url();?>sales/invoice_check', async: false,
                type: 'post'
            },

        }
    },
    messages: {

        reg_number[]: {
            required: "Enter Reg Number",
            minlength: jQuery.format("Enter at least {0} characters"),
            remote: jQuery.format("{0} is already in use")
        },
    }
    });
    });
   </script>

Solution 1:

You have two problems:

1. You aren't selecting the form element properly.

   You're looking for a form with id "voucherform" and your markup does not contain one. You probably want to change your selector to:

   $("form[name='voucherform']").validate({ ... });
   

2. Brackets ([]) are not valid in JavaScript identifiers. This means that your script is not being parsed correctly. To resolve this, just wrap those fields that have brackets in them in quotes, i.e. 'reg_number[]' instead of reg_number[].

Tweaked validate code:

var validator = $("form[name='voucherform']").validate({
    showErrors: function(errorMap, errorList) {
        $(".errormsg").html($.map(errorList, function(el) {
            return el.message;
        }).join(", "));
    },
    wrapper: "span",
    rules: {
        'reg_number[]': {
            required: true,
            minlength: 2,
            remote: {
                url: '<?php echo base_url();?>sales/invoice_check',
                async: false,
                type: 'post'
            }

        }
    },
    messages: {
        'reg_number[]': {
            required: "Enter Reg Number",
            minlength: jQuery.format("Enter at least {0} characters"),
            remote: jQuery.format("{0} is already in use")
        }
    }
});

Example: http://jsfiddle.net/hfrhs/

Solution 2:

You can find a good answer here: jquery-validation-for-array-of-input-elements. In jquery.validate.js, we can find a function named checkForm, we have to modify it as below:

checkForm: function() {
  this.prepareForm();
  for ( var i = 0, elements = (this.currentElements = this.elements()); elements[i]; i++ ) {
   if (this.findByName( elements[i].name ).length != undefined && this.findByName( elements[i].name ).length > 1) {
     for (var cnt = 0; cnt < this.findByName( elements[i].name ).length; cnt++) {
       this.check( this.findByName( elements[i].name )[cnt] );
     }
    } else {
     this.check( elements[i] );
    }
   }
  return this.valid();
}

Solution 3:

here is my way

 'reg_number[]':{ 
    required:function(){
      return $("input[name='reg_number[]']").filter(function(){
        return $.trim($(this).val()).length>0
      }).length==0
    }
 }

Hope it has little help for you.