Format date dd.mm.yyyy for input text with jQuery Validation addMethod

Question

I am having real trouble with this addMethod for validating a date from an input. It doesn't test the regex properly and i think it may be written with errors. The date should be in this format: dd.mm.yyyy . Please help...

$(function() {

    $(".msgBtn").click(function() {

        var isValid = true;

        if (!$("#startDate").valid()) {
            isValid = false;
        }
        if (!$("#endDate").valid()) {
            isValid = false;
        }

        if (!isValid)
            return;

        $("form#csr-message").submit(); //save button 
    });
             });
$.validator.addMethod(
                "formatdata",
                function(value, element) {
                    var i = /(?:0[1-9]|[12][0-9]|3[01])\.(?:0[1-9]|1[0-2])\.(?:19\d\d|20\d\d)/;
                    return this.optional(element) || i.test(value);
                }, "Incorrect format data");

var validator = $("#csr-message")
        .validate(
                {
                    rules : {
                        startDate : {
                            formatdata : true

                        },
                        endDate : {
                            formatdata : true
                        }
                    },
                    messages : {
                        startDate : {
                            formatdata : jQuery
                                    .format("Start date has incorrect format!"),
                        },
                        endDate : {
                            formatdata : jQuery
                                    .format("End date has incorrect format!"),
                        }
                    }
                }

The html:

<form method="post" action="<%=RelativeActionURL.rewrite(formAction)%>" id="csr-message">
...

<input type="text"  id="startDate" name="startDate"  placeholder="dd.mm.yyyy"  value="<fmt:formatDate pattern="dd.MM.yyyy" value="${messageDetails.startDate}" />"/>
...

<input type="text"  id="endDate" name="endDate" placeholder="dd.mm.yyyy"  value="<fmt:formatDate pattern="dd.MM.yyyy" value="${messageDetails.endDate}"/>"/>
...

</form>

Answer 1

$(function () {
    $.datepicker.setDefaults({
        dateFormat: 'dd/mm/yy'
    });
});

Then to bind it to the input element:
$(function () {
    $("#StartDate").datepicker();
});

Credits Amalea

Answer 2

You can create your own custom validation method using the addMethod function. Say you wanted to validate "dd/mm/yyyy":

$.validator.addMethod(
    "Mytypedate",
    function(value, element) {
        // put your own logic here, this is just a (crappy) example
        return value.match(/^\d\d?\/\d\d?\/\d\d\d\d$/);
    },
    "Please enter a date in the format dd/mm/yyyy."
);

And then on your form add:

$('#myForm')
    .validate({
        rules : {
            myDate : {
                Mytypedate: true
            }
        }
    })
;