Javascript e-mail validation

Question

I usually don't ask questions in places like this as its filled with information that I probably could find that will solve my problem. However, I am new to PHP, Javascript etc.. and I just can't seem to grasp this problem I am having, so I turn to you guys and would greatly appreciate the help.

So, I am playing about with a comment system a fellow created but wanted to as a Javascript function that would check the validation of an email. Here is the code as followed...

$(function () {
    //alert(event.timeStamp);
    $('.new-com-bt').click(function (event) {
        $(this).hide();
        $('.new-com-cnt').show();
        $('#name-com').focus();
    });

    /* when start writing the comment activate the "add" button */
    $('.the-new-com').bind('input propertychange', function () {
        $(".bt-add-com").css({
            opacity: 0.6
        });
        var checklength = $(this).val().length;
        if (checklength) {
            $(".bt-add-com").css({
                opacity: 1
            });
        }
    });

    /* on clic  on the cancel button */
    $('.bt-cancel-com').click(function () {
        $('.the-new-com').val('');
        $('.new-com-cnt').fadeOut('fast', function () {
            $('.new-com-bt').fadeIn('fast');
        });
    });

    // on post comment click 
    $('.bt-add-com').click(function () {
        var theCom = $('.the-new-com');
        var theName = $('#name-com');
        var theMail = $('#mail-com');
        var filter = /^([a-zA-Z0-9_\.\-])+\@(([a-zA-Z0-9\-])+\.)+([a-zA-Z0-9]    {2,4})+$/;

        if (!theCom.val()) {
            alert('oh! Don`t forget your message!');
        }
        if (!filter.test(theMail.value)) {
            alert('Please provide a vaild email address');
            theMail.focus;
            return false;

        } else {
            $.ajax({
                type: "POST",
                url: "ajax/add-comment.php",
                data: 'act=add-com&id_post=' + <? php echo $id_post; ? > +'&name=' + theName.val() + '&email=' + theMail.val() + '&comment=' + theCom.val(),
                success : function (html) {
                    theCom.val('');
                    theMail.val('');
                    theName.val('');
                    $('.new-com-cnt').hide('fast', function () {
                        $('.new-com-bt').show('fast');
                        $('.new-com-bt').before(html);
                    })
                }
            });
        }
    });

});

As you can see I provided a var filter etc... but explaining in brief terms, the end result is it will alert to say the email is invalid but when typing in a valid email and trying to submit, no matter what it just comes up with the alert and the end result, which is meant to happen simply doesn't.

Sorry if I going to long way round about this or not having any knowledge of this, but i am willing to assist in anyway.

Again any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Answer 1

You might want to consider using a validation library like parsley.js if you will be validating multiple input types. I prefer parsley, but there are several libraries available. (note: parsley relies on jquery).

<form id="emailForm" data-parsley-validate>
   <label for="email">Email * :</label>
   <input type="email" name="email" required />
</form>

By default, parsley will show a generic error message like "This field is required. This should be a valid email.", but you can easily customize the message, or opt-out of displaying any message at all.

data-parsley-error-message="my message" // A global error message for this input
data-parsley-email-message="my message" // Replace the default parsley email error message for this input

Answer 2

A useful function.

function validateEmail(email) { 
    var re = /^(([^<>()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]+(\.[^<>()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]+)*)|(\".+\"))@((\[[0-9]{1,3}\.    [0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\])|(([a-zA-Z\-0-9]+\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,}))$/;
    return re.test(email);
} 


// Example
if(validateEmail("test@test.com"))
{
    alert("Valid!");
}else{
    alert("Invalid!");
}