Delay HTML5 :invalid pseudo-class until the first event

Question

I recently discovered that the :invalid pseudo-class applies to required form elements as soon as the page loads. For example, if you have this cod

Answer 1

While using HTML5 form validation, try to use the browser to detect for invalid submissions/fields, rather than re-inventing the wheel.

Listen for the invalid event to add a class of 'invalid' to your form. With the 'invalid' class added, you can go to town with styling your form using CSS3 :pseudo selectors.

For example:

// where myformid is the ID of your form
var myForm = document.forms.myformid;

var checkCustomValidity = function(field, msg) {
    if('setCustomValidity' in field) {
        field.setCustomValidity(msg);
    } else {
        field.validationMessage = msg;
    }
};

var validateForm = function() {

    // here, we're testing the field with an ID of 'name'
    checkCustomValidity(myForm.name, '');

    if(myForm.name.value.length < 4) {
        checkCustomValidity(
            // alerts fields error message response
            myForm.name, 'Please enter a valid Full Name, here.'
        );
    }
};

/* here, we are handling your question above, by adding an invalid
   class to the form if it returns invalid.  Below, you'll notice
   our attached listener for a form state of invalid */
var styleInvalidForm = function() {
    myForm.className = myForm.className += ' invalid';
}

myForm.addEventListener('input', validateForm, false);
myForm.addEventListener('keyup', validateForm, false);
myForm.addEventListener('invalid', styleInvalidForm, true);

Now, simply style your form as you see fit based on the 'invalid' class we've attached.

For example:

form.invalid input:invalid,
form.invalid textarea:invalid {
    background: rgba(255, 0, 0, .05);
    border-color: #ff6d6d;
    -webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 6px rgba(255, 0, 0, .35);
    box-shadow: 0 0 6px rgba(255, 0, 0, .35);
}