xpages validate one field if a checkbox is selected - validation

Question

I only want to require a field if the user has not checked a check box elsewhere on the form.
The checkbox's value is "Yes" if checked or "No" if not checked.
On the Edit Box's validation formula I have the computed SSJS:
getComponentValue("SoleSource") == "No"
the function is stored in as a JS source
function getComponentValue(id){
var field = getComponent(id);
var value = field.getSubmittedValue();
if( null == value ){
// else not yet submitted
value = field.getValue();
}
return value;
}
No matter if the checkbox (with the ID "SoleSource") is checked or not, it always returns "No", which is the default value, and attempts to validate my field.
Is there any way to do this without submitting the form first?

Answer 1

You can get access to the field value only when the value is send to the server. I would suggest a two fold approach. One: use a client side JavaScript to check (for the comfort of the user) and a server side on complete submission (for data integrity).

Answer 2

As stwissel already said there are two ways to validate your inputField, clientSide and on ServerSide. To manipulate the validation depending on user Input i would use ClientSide javascript code to make it feal more 'On the fly' and then validate the whole document on Submit again on the Server Side.
Here a short example how i would build this on ClientSide with dojo. But please dont forget to validate the data again on the Server when the user saves/submits it to avoid corrupted data because of manipulation of your ClientSide javascript (or someone just turns of javascript in his browser).
<xe:djCheckBox id="select" value="#{viewScope.check}"
checkedValue="yes" uncheckedValue="no">
<xp:this.dojoAttributes>
<xp:dojoAttribute name="onChange">
<xp:this.value><![CDATA[#{javascript:return "var input = dijit.byId('"+getClientId('required')+ "'); input.required = !input.required;"}]]></xp:this.value>
</xp:dojoAttribute>
</xp:this.dojoAttributes>
</xe:djCheckBox>
<xp:inputText id="required" dojoType="dijit.form.ValidationTextBox">
<xp:this.dojoAttributes>
<xp:dojoAttribute name="required"
value="true">
</xp:dojoAttribute>
</xp:this.dojoAttributes>
</xp:inputText>
In this example i use dojo to convert my inputField to a dijit.form.ValidationTextBox wich allowes me to change it's required propertie. DojoValidation.