Validating multiple select boxes

[metafizzical]

Hi,

I'm currently trying to write a loop that can be used on several select boxes within the same form.

Some sample HTML:
[HTML]<!-- select box 1 -->
<select name="qtyItsall greek" id="qtyItsallgr eek">
<option value="0" selected="selec ted">0</option><option value="1">1</option>
<option value="2">2</option><option value="3">3</option>
</select>
<!-- select box 2 -->
<select name="qtyBluebe rrynights" id="qtyBlueberr ynights">
<option value="0" selected="selec ted">0</option><option value="1">1</option>
<option value="2">2</option><option value="3">3</option>
</select>[/HTML]

All form validation is done once the user hits a button that calls my main() function, which in turn calls a check_input function:

function check_input(element) {
    if (element.match(/^qty.*$/)) {
     var x = document.getElementById('orderform').qtyItsallgreek.selectedIndex;
     var y = document.getElementById.element.selectedIndex;
     return true;
	}
}
function main() {
	var myForm = document.getElementById('orderform');
        for (var i = 0; i < myForm.elements.length; i += 1) {
            var e = myForm.elements[i];
            if (e.type === "select-one") {
                check_input(e.id);
            }
}

While var x contains the selectedIndex value, var y is interpreted literally, which gives the error that document.getEle mentById.elemen t.selectedIndex is undefined.

Instead of referring to each specific select box like var x, is it possible to use the element variable in a similar way to var y?

You might have noticed I'm quite new to JavaScript :-)

PS. In the second code block on line 3, there shouldn't be a space within the word 'greek' - It's a non-breaking space that I can't get the message editor to remove :-)

[acoder]

Since you're passing the ID, just pass the value to the getElementById method:
[CODE=javascript]var y = document.getEle mentById(elemen t).selectedInde x;
[/CODE]

[metafizzical]

Thanks a lot. Seems obvious now. :-)

[acoder]

You're welcome. Post again back to the forum if you have more questions :)