JS not reading field value as blank

[lahddah]

Hi, I'm trying to verify a set of fields where, if the first name is not blank, then the address must be filled out. This is the code I have now - the first 'if' statement works fine:
-----------------------------------------

function ValidForm() {
if (document.request.r_name.value == "" || document.request.r_address == "" || document.request.re_email.value == "&quot {
alert("You must enter please enter your name, address and email address."
document.request.r_name.focus();
return false;
}
if (document.request.f1name.value != "" || document.request.f1address.value == "&quot {
alert("You must enter your f1-friend's address."
document.request.f1address.focus();
return false;
}
else
return true;
}
---------------------------
Here's the form fields:

<DIV ALIGN=&quot;left&quot;>Friend's Name:<BR>
<INPUT NAME=&quot;f1name&quot; TYPE=&quot;TEXT&quot; SIZE=&quot;30&quot; MAXLENGTH=&quot;120&quot; VALUE=&quot;&quot;></DIV>
<DIV ALIGN=&quot;left&quot;>Friend's Address:<BR>
<INPUT NAME=&quot;f1address&quot; TYPE=&quot;text&quot; SIZE=&quot;30&quot; MAXLENGTH=&quot;200&quot;></DIV>

-------------------------------
the alet msg &quot;You must enter your f1-friend's address&quot; pops up regardless of whether or not I enter anything in the field. I only need it if the field (f1name) is not equal to blank.

Thanks in advance!


~ lahddah

 

[kaht]

you need to change this line:
if (document.request.f1name.value != &quot;&quot; || document.request.f1address.value == &quot;&quot {

to this:
if (document.request.f1name.value != &quot;&quot; && document.request.f1address.value == &quot;&quot {


-kaht

 

[tviman]

You could also test the length of the field value:

function ValidForm() {
if (document.request.r_name.value.length == 0 || document.request.r_address.value.length == 0 || document.request.re_email.value.length == 0) {
    alert("You must enter please enter your name, address and email address.");
document.request.r_name.focus();
return false;
    }
if (document.request.f1name.value.length > 0 || document.request.f1address.value.length == 0) {
    alert("You must enter your f1-friend's address.");
    document.request.f1address.focus();
     return false;
    }
else
return true;
}

There's always a better way. The fun is trying to find it!

 

[lahddah]

Oh, my goodness, kaht. Thank you! I've tried many different variations of the '&&', but I think I had the second part in () so maybe that's why it wasn't working.

I thought that '||' equals 'and', but apparently it equals 'or'. Now I'm feeling silly!

thanks, again!


~ lahddah

 

[lahddah]

thank you, too, tviman. During all my troubleshooting I was actually trying to figure out how to work with the 'length' function to accomplish the desired results. I'll keep this in mind for the future.

thanks!


~ lahddah