[jQuery] Validate select box

Question

I'm using the jQuery plugin Validation to validate a form. I have a select list looking like this:

<select id="select">
<option value="">Choose an option</option>
<option value="option1">Option1</option>
<option value="option2">Option2</option>
<option value="option3">Option3</option>
</select>

Now, I want to make sure that the user selects anything but "Choose an option" (which is the default one). So that it won't validate if you choose the first option. How can this be done?

Answer 1

Just add a class of required to the select

<select id="select" class="required">

Answer 2

For starters, you can "disable" the option from being selected accidentally by users:

<option value="" disabled="disabled">Choose an option</option>

Then, inside your JavaScript event (doesn't matter whether it is jQuery or JavaScript), for your form to validate whether it is set, do:

select = document.getElementByID('select'); // or in jQuery use: select = this;
if (select.value) {
  // value is set to a valid option, so submit form
  return true;
}
return false;

Or something to that effect.