jQuery Validation at least one checkbox is selected

Question

I have the following piece of html code for form checkboxes

<div class="drinking col-xs-12">
  <div class="col-xs-7 drinkingLeft">
    <input type="checkbox" name="allwines" id="allwines" value="0" class="require-one col-xs-1 styled myClassA"  value="0" data-label="All Wines" />
    <input id='allwinesHidden'  type='hidden' value='0' name='allwines'>
  </div>
  <div class="col-xs-5 drinkingLeft">
    <input type="checkbox" name="beer" id="beer" value="0" class="require-one col-xs-1 styled myClassB"  value="0"  data-label="Beer" />
    <input id='beerHidden'  type='hidden' value='0' name='beer'>
  </div>
  <div class="clearix"></div>
  <div class="col-xs-7 drinkingLeft">
    <input type="checkbox" name="redwines" id="redwines" value="0" class="require-one col-xs-1 styled myClassC"  value="0" data-label="Red Wines" />
    <input id='redwinesHidden'  type='hidden' value='0' name='redwines'>
  </div>
  <div class="col-xs-5 drinkingLeft">
    <input type="checkbox" name="cider" id="cider" value="0" class="require-one col-xs-1 styled myClassD"  value="0" data-label="Cider" />
    <input id='ciderHidden'  type='hidden' value='0' name='cider'>
  </div>
  <div class="clearix"></div>
  <div class="col-xs-7 drinkingLeft">
    <input type="checkbox" name="whitewines" id="whitewines" value="0" class="require-one col-xs-1 styled myClassE"  value="0" data-label="White Wines" />
    <input id='whitewinesHidden'  type='hidden' value='0' name='whitewines'>
  </div>
  <div class="col-xs-5 drinkingLeft">
    <input type="checkbox" name="spirits" id="spirits" value="0" class="require-one col-xs-1 styled myClassF"  value="0" data-label="Spirits" />
    <input id='spiritsHidden'  type='hidden' value='0' name='spirits'>
  </div>
  <div class="clearix"></div>
  <div class="col-xs-7 drinkingLeft">
    <input type="checkbox" name="sparkling" id="sparkling" value="0" class="require-one col-xs-1 styled myClassG"  value="0" data-label="Sparkling/Champagne" />
    <input id='sparklingHidden'  type='hidden' value='0' name='sparkling'>
  </div>
  <div class="col-xs-5 drinkingLeft">
    <input type="checkbox" name="fortified" id="fortified" value="0" class="require-one col-xs-1 styled myClassH"  value="0" data-label="Fortified" />
    <input id='fortifiedHidden'  type='hidden' value='0' name='fortified'>
  </div>
  <div id="error_msg3"></div>
  <div class="clearix"></div>
</div>
</div>

I want to make sure that at least one of the check boxes is selected.

I want that NOT as an alert box ; however the message need to show up in the div error-msg3.

Please note that all the inputs have different class names and ids. A staging link is at

https://bitly.com/1i3f1MY

I am using jQuery validation to validate rest of the form. Will be nice to get solution through jquery validation.

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

You will have to change the name attributes of the checkboxes, and add a rule for it with the minlength set to 1.

You can after show the custom message and append it to #error_msg3 with :

if(element.attr("name") == "check") error.appendTo("#error_msg3")

EDIT

$("input[type='checkbox'][name='check']").change(function() {
    if ($("input[type='checkbox'][name='check']:checked").length){
        $(this).valid()
    }
})

EDIT 2

I've updated the Fiddle, now the message toggles correctly when you have at least one checkbox checked or not.

$("input[type='checkbox'][name='check']").change(function() {
    $('#submitDetails').valid();
});

Fiddle here

Answer 2

This is very simple......

function validate_form()
{
valid = true;

if($('input[type=checkbox]:checked').length == 0)
{
    alert ( "ERROR! Please select at least one checkbox" );
    valid = false;
}

return valid;
}

HTML

<form name="myform" method="post" action="#" onsubmit="return validate_form();">
<input type="checkbox" name="box1"  value="box1">Box1
<input type="checkbox" name="box2"  value="box2">Box2
<input name="submit" type="submit" value="Submit"/>
</form>