Question

I am trying to validate a form, to make sure that the user inputs a value into a textbox. Here’s my Javascript:

var formValidation = function(a) {
    if (document.getElementById(a).value == "") {
        alert('Please fill out the ' + a + ' field');
        return false;
    }
    else {
        return true;
    }
}    

And here’s the form:

<div id="cultdiv">
    <form action="add.php" method="POST">
        <span><input type="hidden" name="id" id="cultid"/>
        <input type="text" onSubmit ="formValidation('culture')" name="name" id="culture"/>
        <input type="hidden" name="type" value="culture" />
        <input type="submit" value="add/update" /></span>
    </form>
</div>

For some reason it doesn’t stop the form from being submitted or give the alert message.

Answer 1

You forgot to return from your inline handler.
Also, <input>s don’t have an onsubmit event; you probably meant to put that in the <form>.