validation - Using JQuery Validate Plugin to validate multiple form fields with identical names

Question

I have a dynamically generated form with input fields with the same name (for example: "map"). I do not have the option of changing the field names or generating unique field names because the form handler code (Perl/CGI) is designed to handle an array of input values (in this case @map).

How can I use the JQuery Validate Plugin to validate a form in such a situation? Specifically I would want exactly one element of the submitted array to have a certain fixed value. I am currently using a custom event handler that creates a JSON object with serializeArray() and then traverses it to ensure that the condition is met. But since I have used the Validate Plugin in the rest of the application, I was wondering if such a case may be handled using the same plugin here too.

Thank you for your attention.

Answer 1

Instead of changing the source file jquery.validation you can simply override the function you need to edit only in the pages that requires it.

An example would be:

$.validator.prototype.checkForm = function() {
    //overriden in a specific page
    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();
};

This might not be the best solution, but at least it avoids editing source files, that could be replaced later, when a new version releases. Where your overridden function might or might not break.