time validation

[Ben]

Hey bvdveen,

No worries! It's always a bit rocky when you start programming.... but then you get hooked.

I'd tackle the problem slightly differently, but your solution would work too. Take a look at the following code (I confess I haven't tested it, but the logic is sound):

Code:

function check_times()
{
    // get the values in the two dropdowns (you'll need to replace
    // "formnamehere" with the name attribute of your form)
    var time1 = document.formnamehere.BW.value;
    var time2 = document.formnamehere.VZ.value;
    
    // if either are empty, just do nothing. If the fields ARE required,
    // just add another RSV "required" rule BEFORE calling this custom function
    if (!time1 || !time2)
    {
        return true;
    }

    // split the info in each time on the ":" character
    var time1_info  = time1.split(":");
    var time1_hours = parseInt(time1_info[0]); // parseInt sucks, but it's OK here
    var time1_mins  = parseInt(time1_info[1]);
    
    var time2_info = time2.split(":");
    var time2_hours = parseInt(time2_info[0]);
    var time2_mins  = parseInt(time2_info[1]);
    
    // the error message is always going to be the same, so let's just stash it
    // in a variable here so we don't have to type it out multiple times.
    var errorInfo = [document.formnamehere.VZ, "Sorry, please enter a later time."];

    // alright! Now we do our validation. First check the hours: if the hour in time2
    // is less than time1, Houston we have a problem
    if (time2_hours < time1_hours)
    {
        return [errorInfo];
    }
    else if (time2_hours == time1_hours)
    {
        // here, the user entered the same hour for both. So,check that the
        // mins in time2 isn't greater of equal to that in time1
        if (time2_mins <= time1_mins)
        {
            return [errorInfo];
        }
    }

    // we're good!
    return true;    
}

Let me know how it goes!

- Ben