Details about the default behaviour are here: http://docs.jquery.com/Plugins/Validation/Reference#Validation_event
You can make the validation more aggresive with some custom event handling: $("input[name=q4]").click(function() { $(this).valid(); }); Jörn PS: You really shouldn't use a single id more then once (id="q4") On Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 5:34 PM, w1ntermut3 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Using the Validation plugin (http://docs.jquery.com/Plugins/ > Validation/) > > I've got checkboxes like this: > > <input type="checkbox" name="q4" id="q4" value="1" /> > <input type="checkbox" name="q4" id="q4" value="2" /> > <input type="checkbox" name="q4" id="q4" value="3" /> > <input type="checkbox" name="q4" id="q4" value="4" /> > <input type="checkbox" name="q4" id="q4" value="5" /> > > and the following code making sure that only 3 can be chosen: > > $(document).ready(function() { > $('#fQuestionnaire1').validate({ > rules: { > q4: { > required: true, > maxlength: 3 > } > } > }); > }); > > This sort of works fine - when I click the form's Submit button, the > error message is displayed if more than three are selected. And from > then on, the error message is toggled on and off by my ticking the > required number of boxes. But - and here's my question - I want that > behaviour BEFORE I've hit "Submit". As soon as I click that 4th > checkbox, I want the error message to appear. Currently it's happy to > let me select 4 items and then gives me the message when I hit > "Submit". > > I notice that the docs for the validate() "onfocusout" option - which > defaults to true - says "Validate elements (except checkboxes/radio > buttons) on blur." Why are they excluded? It's clearly possible to do, > because it does validate onblur AFTER the submit button has fired > once. Is this work-aroundable? Am I missing something important? > > Thanks :) > > >