![Ideal Forms logo](http://i.imgur.com/wg9htKk.png) The best forms just got better! Ideal Forms 3 is smaller, faster, and more extensible. **License:** GPL or MIT **Support:** IE9+ and all modern browsers **Website:** http://bit.ly/GFrp55 (not always in sync) **Demo only:** http://bit.ly/1ahZalu ### Features - On the spot validation - Fully adaptive (adapts to the container, no css media queries needed) - Keyboard support - Custom checkboxes, radios and file inputs - Custom seamless jQuery UI datepicker - Support for third party extensions - Localization ### Major changes since version 2 Ideal Forms 3 is **not** compatible with version 2. You can still find Ideal Forms 2 under [jq-idealforms-old](https://github.com/elclanrs/jq-idealforms-old), but support has been dropped. Here's what's new in version 3: - New architecture, more modularity - Custom markup - Extensions - Improved custom checkbox, radio and file inputs - Improved built-in theme - Switch to Stylus - Drop custom select menu, but check out [jquery.idealselect](https://github.com/elclanrs/jquery.idealselect) - Drop support for IE8 ### TODO - Image Preview Field ## Table of Contents - [Setup](#setup) - [Options](#options) - [Markup](#markup) - [Markup with Rules](#markup-with-rules) - [Custom Markup](#custom-markup) - [Adding Rules](#adding-rules) - [Custom Errors](#custom-errors) - [Built-in Rules](#built-in-rules) - [Methods](#methods) - [Built-in Extensions](#built-in-extensions) - [Dynamic Fields](#extension-dynamic-fields) - [Steps](#extension-steps) - [Custom Inputs](#extension-custom-inputs) - [Ajax](#extension-ajax) - [Datepicker](#extension-datepicker) - [Adaptive](#extension-adaptive) - [Custom Rules](#custom-rules) - [Custom Extensions](#custom-extensions) - [Localization](#localization) - [Themes](#themes) - [FAQ](#faq) - [Build & Share](#build--share) - [Update History](#update-history) ## Setup - Load latest [jQuery](http://code.jquery.com/jquery-2.0.3.min.js) library - Load `css/jquery.idealforms.css` stylesheet - Load `js/out/jquery.idealforms.min.js` plugin - To localize Ideal Forms load the corresponding file from `js/i18n`. See [Localization](#localization). - Place images in a folder and make sure the [path is correct](#why-the-icons-dont-show-up) - For better IE support, replace the opening `html` tag with: ```html ``` - Call Ideal Forms on your form: ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ options }); ``` [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Options ```javascript defaults = { field: '.field', error: '.error', iconHtml: '', iconClass: 'icon', invalidClass: 'invalid', validClass: 'valid', silentLoad: true, onValidate: $.noop, onSubmit: $.noop, rules: {}, errors: {} } ``` ### field The field container for [custom markup](#custom-markup). ### error The error container for custom markup. ### iconHtml The element to use as icon. Set to `false` to disable icons. ### iconClass The class for the icon element. ### invalidClass The class that will be added to invalid fields. ### validClass The class that will be added to valid fields. ### silentLoad Initialize the form silently, otherwise focus the first invalid input. ### onValidate(input, rule, valid) Callback that runs after an input attempts to validate. - **input:** The input being validated - **rule:** The rule that the input is validating. - **valid:** Boolean. Did it validate? ### onSubmit(invalid, event) Callback that runs when the form is submitted. - **invalid:** The number of invalid fields if any. - **event:** The submit event. Example: ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ onSubmit: function(invalid, e) { e.preventDefault(); if (invalid) { alert(invalid +' fields!'); } else { $.post('save.php', this.$form.serialize(), function(response) { // do something with response }, 'json'); } } }); ``` ### rules Field rules. See [Adding Rules](#adding-rules). ### errors User defined errors for added rules. See [Custom Errors](#custom-errors). [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Markup You can get started quickly using Ideal Forms' default markup: ```html

``` ### Markup with Rules You can build simple forms by adding the rules to the markup, using the `data-idealforms-rules` attribute: ```html

``` ### Custom Markup Ideal Forms 3 has been built from scratch with flexibility in mind. The markup is no longer tied to the plugin. If the default markup doesn't work for you, you can create your own markup. Ideal Forms will look for the following: - **A field:** A field must contain at least a label, an input and an error. - **A label:** The label to identify the field. - **An input or group of inputs:** Must be a single input or multiple related inputs such as checkboxes or radios. A field _cannot_ contain inputs with different `name` attributes; this is a limitation by design. - **An error container:** An element to hold the error. Then you have to tell Ideal Forms that you want to use custom markup. You can specify these options when initializing the plugin: ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ field: '.myfield', // selector error: '.myerror', // selector validClass: 'myvalid', // class name invalidClass: 'myinvalid' // class name }); ``` [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Adding Rules Pass an object to the `rules` option, where each key corresponds to a `name` attribute and each value is a string of rules assigned to that input. Always quote keys for consistency: ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ rules: { 'username': 'required username', 'password': 'required password', 'sex': 'minoption:1', 'hobbies[]': 'minoption:1 maxoption:2', 'options': 'select:default' } }); ``` You can also add rules after initializing the plugin: ```javascript $('form').idealforms('addRules', { 'comments': 'required minmax:50:200' }); ``` ### Custom Errors To display your own custom errors for the rules you added pass the names and a list of errors for each field: ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ rules: { ... }, errors: { 'username': { required: 'Please enter a username', username: 'This username is not valid, try again' }, 'password': { password: 'Please enter a secure password' } } }); ``` [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Built-in Rules A rule must be in this format `rule:param` where `rule` is the name of the `rule` and `param` is a rule parameter, for example `minmax:10:50` will use the `minmax` rule with two arguments, `10` and `50`. - **required:** The field is required. Only works with text inputs. - **digits:** Only digits. - **number:** Must be a number. - **username:** Must be between 4 and 32 characters long and start with a letter. You may use letters, numbers, underscores, and one dot. - **email:** Must be a valid email. - **pass:** Must be at least 6 characters long, and contain at least one number, one uppercase and one lowercase letter. - **strongpass:** Must be at least 8 characters long and contain at least one uppercase and one lowercase letter and one number or special character. - **phone:** Must be a valid US phone number. - **zip:** Must be a valid US zip code - **url:** Must be a valid URL. - **range:min:max:** Must be a number between `min` and `max`. Usually combined with `number` or `digits`. - **min:min:** Must be at least `min` characters long. - **max:max:** Must be no more that `max` characters long. - **minmax:min:max:** Must be between `min` and `max` characters long. - **minoption:min:** Must have at least `min` checkboxes or radios selected. - **maxoption:max:** Must have no more than `max` checkboxes or radios selected. - **select:default:** Make a select required, where `default` is the value of the default option. - **extension:ext:** Validates file inputs. You can have as many `ext` as you want. - **equalto:name:** Must be equal to another field where `name` is the name of the field. - **date:format:** Must a valid date in any format. The default is `mm/dd/yyyy` but you can pass any format with any separator, ie. `date:yyyy-mm-dd`. - **ajax:** See the built-in [Ajax Extension](#extension-ajax). [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Methods To call a method run `idealforms` on the form and pass the method and arguments: ```javascript` $('form').idealforms('method', arg1, arg2, ...); ``` Methods that have a colon like `is:valid` return something other than the instance, so they can't be chained. ### .idealforms('addRules', rules) See [Adding Rules](#adding-rules) ### .idealforms('get:invalid') Returns a jQuery collection of all invalid fields. Access the `length` to check how many fields are invalid. ### .idealforms('focusFirstInvalid') Focus the first invalid field. ### .idealforms('is:valid', name) If you pass a `name` it will check if that input is valid, otherwise it will check if all inputs are valid. ### .idealforms('reset', name) If you pass a `name` it will reset that single input, if you don't it will reset all inputs to zero. That means emptying all the values of text inputs, unchecking all checkboxes and radios, and reverting selects to their default option. [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Built-in Extensions Ideal Forms 3 has been re-designed to be able to extend the core easily. Read on [Custom Extensions](#custom-extensions) to learn more. Ideal Forms comes with a few built-in extensions. Extensions can be disabled with the `disabledExtensions` option by passing a space separated string of extensions. ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ disabledExtensions: 'dynamicFields steps customInputs ajax' }); ``` ### Extension: Dynamic Fields **Name:** `dynamicFields` Dynamic Fields extends core with the following methods: #### .idealforms('addFields', fields) Add fields to the form. - **fields:** And object where each key corresponds to the `name` attribute. The value of the object is another object that can contain any of the following options (* are required): ```javascript { type*: 'text:subtype | file | group:subtype | select', label*: 'Label', value: 'value', attrs: 'attr="value"', after: 'name', before: 'name', list: [ { value: 'value', text: 'text' } ... ], rules: 'rule rule rule' } ``` Text subtypes include all HMTL5 text types, such as `email`, `number`, etc... Group subtypes include `radio` and `checkbox`. If `before` or `after` are not set, the field will be added at the end of the form. **Example:** ```javascript $('form').idealforms('addFields', { 'fruits[]': { type: 'group:checkbox', label: 'Fruits', list: [ { value: 'apple', text: 'Apple', attrs: 'checked' }, { value: 'orange', text: 'Orange' }, { value: 'banana', text: 'Banana' } ], rules: 'minoption:1 maxoption:2' } }); ``` The HTML is generated according to built-in templates. If you're using your own custom markup you may need custom templates. Ideal Forms provides a simple templating system to easy the pain. These are the default templates that you may change in the options when calling the plugin. They are listed as real HTML for convenience but you must pass a string in the options (you can get the HTML from a script tag for example): ```html
{field}

{@list} {/list}

``` ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ templates: { base: '...', text: '...', file: '...', textarea: '...', group: '...', select: '...' } }); ``` The templating rules are: - **{var}:** A variable. - **{@list} html {/list}:** A loop. - **{#var}:** A loop variable (inside the loop). #### .idealforms('removeFields', names) Remove fields from the form. - **names:** A space separated string of `name` attributes. **Example:** ```javascript $('form').idealforms('removeFields', 'username password hobbies[]'); ``` #### .idealforms('toggleFields', names) Show or hide fields. When the fields are hidden they will be excluded from the validation. - **names:** A space separated string of `name` attributes. **Example:** ```javascript $('form').idealforms('toggleFields', 'username password hobbies[]'); ``` Dynamic Fields adds injection points for `addFields:before`, `addFields:after`, `removeFields` and `toggleFields`. Read about [custom extensions](#custom-extensions) for more info. ### Extension: Steps **Name:** `steps` Steps let you organize your form in sections. Steps expects a container, navigation, wrapper, and at least one step. Using the default options you may build your form like so: ```html
``` Steps adds the following options to Ideal Forms: ```javascript { steps: { container: 'idealsteps-container', // the main container nav: '.idealsteps-nav', // navigation navItems: 'li', // navigation element that receives events // Build nav items as "Step 1", "Step 2"... automatically // or pass your own custom function. // Set to `false` to use your own custom markup buildNavItems: function(i) { return 'Step '+ (i+1); }, wrap: '.idealsteps-wrap', step: '.idealsteps-step', activeClass: 'idealsteps-step-active', before: null, // runs before changing steps after: null, // runs after changing steps fadeSpeed: 0 } } ``` For example, you could build the steps with your own text like so: ```javascript steps: { MY_stepsItems: ['One', 'Two', 'Three'], buildNavItems: function(i) { return this.opts.steps.MY_stepsItems[i]; } } ``` Steps provides these methods: #### .idealforms('goToStep', index) Go to the step number `index`. Indices start at `0`. #### .idealforms('prevStep') Go to the previous step. It wraps around. #### .idealforms('nextStep') Go to the next step. It wraps around. #### .idealforms('firstStep') Go to the first step. #### .idealforms('lastStep') Go to the last step. Steps adds the `appendToStep:index` option to `addFields`: ```javascript $('form').addFields({ 'field': { type: 'text', label: 'Field', appendToStep: 1 }}); ``` ### Extension: Custom Inputs Adds custom checkboxes, radios and file inputs (yes!) seamlessly. The custom select menu has been dropped from Ideal Forms 3 but you can find a new simple replacement being maintained as [jquery.idealselect](https://github.com/elclanrs/jquery.idealselect). **Note:** File inputs must have an `id` as well as a `name` to work on IE. This extension has no additional options or methods. ### Extension: Ajax **Name:** `ajax` Adds an `ajax` rule. First specify a URL on your input: ```html ``` Then add the rule to the field _always_ at last and add an error to handle an invalid response: ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ rules: { 'username': 'required username ajax' }, errors: { 'username': { ajax: 'Checking user availability...', ajaxError: 'Username not available, try a different one.' } } }); ``` The ajax filter will read the URL and send a POST request to the server. The server side script must return a JSON encoded `true` (passes validation) or `false` (fails validation). for example in PHP: ```php ``` Now you can add the `date` rule: ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ rules: { 'event': 'date' } }); ``` The default format is `mm/dd/yyyy` for Ideal Forms and `mm/dd/yy` for the jQuery UI datepicker. Note that Ideal Forms represents years with `yyyy` not `yy`, but the formats are interchangeable. ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ rules: { 'event': 'date:yyyy-mm-dd' } }); $('.datepicker').datepicker('option', 'dateFormat', 'yy-mm-dd'); ``` ### Extension: Adaptive **Name:** `adaptive` Adapts the form to the container when resizing the browser allowing it to work with any responsive grid system. Ideal Forms will add the class `adaptive` to the form and Steps navigation (if present) so you can add your own styles if you decide to use custom markup. Ideal Forms calculates the adaptive width at which the change of layout occurs. If you use custom markup and styles make sure to set the `adaptiveWidth` plugin option using the formula: ```javascript $('form').idealforms({ adaptiveWidth: 600 // the total width of a field (label + input + icon + error) }); ``` [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Custom Rules You can add rules by extending the global `rules` object: ```javascript $.extend($.idealforms.rules, { ruleRegex: /abc/g, // The rule is added as "ruleFunction:arg1:arg2" // @param input {Node} ruleFunction: function(input, value, arg1, arg2, ...) { } }); ``` After you add a rule you must add an error for it, by extending the global `errors` object. Don't forget this step: ```javascript $.extend($.idealforms.errors, { ruleRegex: 'Must be a valid value for this rule', ruleFunction: 'Must be a valid value. {0}, {1}' }); ``` If the rule is a function that takes rule parameters pass the parameters as `{0}`, `{1}`, etc. If you want to print all the parameters use `{*}` where the default separator is a comma but you can use your own like `{*~}` where `~` is the custom separator. [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Custom Extensions To add a custom extension provide a `name`, extended `options` and extended `methods` if any. You can inject code into the following built-in methods: - **_init:** Runs when the plugin is initialized, but before any initial input rules are added. - **_buildField(input):** Builds the input given the markup options to work with Ideal Forms. `input` is the current input element being built. - **_validate(input, rule, valid):** Runs right after the input has been validated. `input` is the input element, `rule` is the rule that tried to pass validation and `valid` is a boolean flag. - **addRules:** It gets invoked on `_init` to add the initial rules and whenever you add more rules to the form. - **focusFirstInvalid:** Inject code when the first input is focused. - **reset(name):** Reset the form. `name` is an input name, if any. Check the [reset](#idealformsreset-name) method. It is recommended that you always namespace your extension, by prefixing it with a unique identifier. To allow for Ideal Forms localization, add the `i18n` option and all the strings that may change inside, then build your extension with localization in mind: ```javascript $.idealforms.addExtension({ name: 'MY_extensionName', options: { MY_extension: { option: 'default', i18n: { initialized: 'Initialized' } } }, methods: { // @extend _init: function() { console.log(this.opts.i18n.initialized +'!'); }, MY_newMethod: function() { } } }); ``` If an extension depends on another extension you may use `_hasExtension`: ```javascript _init: function() { if (this._hasExtension('ajax')) { ... } } ``` [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Localization To localize Ideal Forms load the corresponding i18n file from `js/i18n` **after** the plugin: ```html ``` Creating your own locale file: ```javascript /** * i18n ES */ $.idealforms.i18n.es = { customInputs: { open: 'Abrir' }, steps: { step: 'Paso' }, errors: { required: 'Este campo es obligatorio', digits: 'Debe contener sólo cifras', name: 'Debe contener al menos 3 caracteres y contener únicamente letras', ... } }; ``` External plugins like the jQuery UI datepicker have to be localized separately in their own way. ## Themes Ideal Forms 3 themes are built with [Stylus](http://learnboost.github.io/stylus/). To create your own theme to use with the default markup open `styl/vars.stly`, modify what you need and [compile](#build--share). ```sass valid = #3F9DCC // valid font color valid-bg = #EDF7FC // valid background color invalid = #CC2A18 // invalid font color invalid-bg = #FFEDED // invalid background color ajax = #CFAA19 // ajax font color ajax-bg = #FAF9E8 // ajax background color ui-element = #ddd // buttons, select and steps backgruond color error = #285d85 // error background color label-width = 120px // main labels width input-width = 290px // input width applies to all fields error-width = (input-width/1.5) radius = 3px // border-radius icon = true // disable icons (must disable in plugin options too) icon-size = 16px // must be square icon icon-padding = 8px // padding between icon, input and error radiocheck-sprite = true // `false` to use css-only style radiocheck-size = 18px // size for css-only radiocheck group-horizontal = false // group checkbox and radio horizontally ``` To customize the theme in your CSS file make sure to always add the `form.idealforms` selector so it takes precedence over the default styles, for example, you may change the default label width like: ```css form.idealforms label.main { width: 200px; } ``` [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## FAQ ### How to access the Ideal Forms plugin instance Ideal Forms attaches an instance of itself to your form(s). To access the instance (prototype) use `data`: ```javascript var instance = $('form').data('idealforms'); ``` Now you an use methods like so: ```javascript instance.reset(); // reset the form ``` ### Why the icons don't show up Ideal Forms assumes that your site has this common structure: ``` site + css + img + js index.html ``` When you download Ideal Forms, make sure to place the images inside `img`. If your folder structure is different you have to open `css/jquery.idealforms.css` and search and replace `../img/` with the correct path to your images folder relative to the plugin. [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Build & Share Ideal Forms 3 is built using some popular NodeJS tools. This is what you'll need to install globally: - [Stylus](https://github.com/learnboost/stylus) - [UglifyJS](https://github.com/mishoo/UglifyJS2) - [Browserify](https://github.com/substack/node-browserify) Then clone the repo, `cd` into the folder and run `npm install` to install dependencies. Finally run `watch -c sh compile.sh` to watch for changes and compile. Now you're ready to edit files and help make Ideal Forms better, or create your own fork. If you want to test ajax make sure to run it on your localhost. This instructions have only been tested on Ubuntu, but you should be able to compile on any Unix system. Some Windows terminal emulators don't provide the `watch` command, but you can still run the script normally with bash `sh compile.sh`. **Enjoy** ![smiley](http://www.4smileys.com/smileys/happy-smileys/happy-smiley11.gif) [![TOC](http://i.imgur.com/RDbarNr.png)](#table-of-contents) ## Update History #### 01/25/14 - Fix #30 and #32 #### 09/10/13 - Localization! #### 07/10/13 - Alternative scalable radiocheck style without sprites #### 05/10/13 - Adaptive extension brings back responsive theme.