Question

In the new version of jQuery validation plugin 1.9 by default validation of hidden fields ignored. I’m using CKEditor for textarea input field and it hides the field and replace it with iframe. The field is there, but validation disabled for hidden fields. With validation plugin version 1.8.1 everything works as expected.

So my question is how to enable validation for hidden fields with v1.9 validation plugin.

This setting doesn’t work:

$.validator.setDefaults({ ignore: '' });

Answer 1

The plugin’s author says you should use “square brackets without the quotes”, []

http://bassistance.de/2011/10/07/release-validation-plugin-1-9-0/

Release: Validation Plugin 1.9.0:
“…Another change should make the setup of forms with hidden elements
easier, these are now ignored by default (option “ignore” has
“:hidden” now as default). In theory, this could break an existing
setup. In the unlikely case that it actually does, you can fix it by
setting the ignore-option to “[]” (square brackets without the
quotes).”

To change this setting for all forms:

$.validator.setDefaults({ 
    ignore: [],
    // any other default options and/or rules
});

(It is not required that .setDefaults() be within the document.ready function)

OR for one specific form:

$(document).ready(function() {

    $('#myform').validate({
        ignore: [],
        // any other options and/or rules
    });

});

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EDIT:

See this answer for how to enable validation on some hidden fields but still ignore others.

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EDIT 2:

Before leaving comments that “this does not work”, keep in mind that the OP is simply asking about the jQuery Validate plugin and his question has nothing to do with how ASP.NET, MVC, or any other Microsoft framework can alter this plugin’s normal expected behavior. If you’re using a Microsoft framework, the default functioning of the jQuery Validate plugin is over-written by Microsoft’s unobtrusive-validation plugin.

If you’re struggling with the unobtrusive-validation plugin, then please refer to this answer instead: https://stackoverflow.com/a/11053251/594235