Mastering JavaScript Form Validation: Exploring the intricacies of function invocation

As a JavaScript beginner, I am currently exploring form validation and came across some code online that I find elegant and maintainable. However, my understanding of JavaScript is limited, so I need help deciphering the functions defined within the code.

I also want to implement an event-driven approach by calling the InstantValidation function when the form is submitted (onSubmit event) from a separate .js file using an event listener. Can someone guide me on how to properly call the function in this manner?

The provided code snippet is as follows:

<html>
    <body>
        <form id="myform" action="#" method="get">
            <fieldset>
                <legend><strong>Add your comment</strong></legend>
                <p>
                    <label for="author">Name <abbr title="Required">*</abbr></label>
                    <input name="author" id="author" value="" 
                        required="required" aria-required="true" 
                        pattern="^([- \w\d\u00c0-\u024f]+)$"
                        title="Your name (no special characters, diacritics are okay)"
                        type="text" spellcheck="false" size="20" />
                </p>

                <p>
                    <label for="email">Email <abbr title="Required">*</abbr></label>
                    <input name="email" id="email" value=""
                        required="required" aria-required="true" 
                        pattern="^(([-\w\d]+)(\.[-\w\d]+)*@([-\w\d]+)(\.[-\w\d]+)*(\.([a-zA-Z]{2,5}|[\d]{1,3})){1,2})$"
                        title="Your email address"
                        type="email" spellcheck="false" size="30" />
                </p>

                <p>
                    <label for="website">Website</label>
                    <input name="website" id="website" value=""
                        pattern="^(http[s]?:\/\/)?([-\w\d]+)(\.[-\w\d]+)*(\.([a-zA-Z]{2,5}|[\d]{1,3})){1,2}(\/([-~%\.\(\)\w\d]*\/*)*(#[-\w\d]+)?)?$"
                        title="Your website address"
                        type="url" spellcheck="false" size="30" />
                </p>

                <p>
                    <label for="text">Comment <abbr title="Required">*</abbr></label>
                    <textarea name="text" id="text" 
                        required="required" aria-required="true" 
                        title="Your comment" 
                        spellcheck="true" cols="40" rows="10"></textarea>
                </p>
            </fieldset>
            
            <fieldset>
                <button name="preview" type="submit">Preview</button>
                <button name="save" type="submit">Submit Comment</button>
            </fieldset>
        </form>
        
        <script type="text/javascript">
        // JavaScript code goes here
        </script>
    </body>
</html>

I am specifically looking for clarification on the following function:

function addEvent(node, type, callback)
{
    if(node.addEventListener)
    {
        node.addEventListener(type, function(e)
        {
            callback(e, e.target);
        }, false);
    }
    else if(node.attachEvent)
    {
        node.attachEvent('on' + type, function(e)
        {
            callback(e, e.srcElement);
        });
    }
}

Any assistance in explaining this function would be greatly appreciated!

Answer №1

#1 A Layer of Abstraction for Event Handlers

Within this code snippet lies an event handler that is capable of functioning seamlessly across a variety of different browsers.

This function allows for both methods to be employed.

It requires...

  • ... specifying the element where the event will be added (node)
  • ... indicating the type of event to handle (type)
  • ... defining the code to be executed by the event (callback)

Learn more about Browser events:

Explore Abstraction layers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abstraction_layer

Browser events encompass actions such as page loading (onload), mouse clicks (onclick), input changes (onchange), cursor movements over elements (onmouseover), and more.

http://www.w3schools.com/js/js_htmldom_events.asp

#2 Executing Validation on Form Submission...

//bind a change event to each applicable field

The provided code iterates through each input and textarea element, applying validation with the onchange event. For form submission validation (onsubmit), you would need to include something like the following after the existing addEvent call:

addEvent("myform","onsubmit", function(){
    //Go through each field and validate.
    //If all fields pass, return true.
    //If any field fails validation, return false.
})

If desired, the onChange events can be removed entirely. The crucial aspect is to ensure that validation occurs solely within the form itself. Refer to this answer for additional insights: Best Practice: Access form elements by HTML id or name attribute? ... Iterate through all elements, validating each one within the mentioned addEvent, which should return either true or false to permit form submission or halt it due to validation errors.

Remember! It is advisable to conduct server-side validation in addition to client-side validation. Browsers can be manipulated easily, leading to potentially erroneous data being sent to the server. Always prioritize server-side validation regardless of client-side measures.

Answer №2

It appears to be a universal function that connects a handler (instantValidation) to the "change" or "onchange" events of input and textarea elements across different browsers.

This function is designated as cross-browser due to its utilization of two distinct event subscription methods: attachEvent for older IE versions (5-8) and addEventListener for more current browsers.

The addEvent function assesses the availability of these functions and employs the most suitable one, prioritizing the newer approach.

Answer №3

This code snippet provides a solution for attaching event handlers to DOM elements that works across different web browsers. The function (addEvent) requires the following arguments:

node: Represents the DOM element where the event will be attached (can be obtained using a method like getElementById)

type: Specifies the type of event, such as change, focus, and so on.

callback: Refers to the function that should execute when the event is triggered.

The conditional statement if(node.addEventListener) checks if the addEventListener property exists within the node object. If this property is present, it evaluates to true, and the subsequent block of code inside the if statement is executed.

This check for addEventListener is necessary because various web browsers handle event attachment differently. For example, Internet Explorer versions prior to IE9 utilize attachEvent instead of addEventListener.

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