How do I use Bootstrap 3 form validation when submit button is outside the form?

Question

I'm confused with the Bootstrap 3 implementation of form validation. I'm new to Bootstrap, and I cannot seem to get the form validation working with a form that does not include a submit button. The type of form validation I'm looking for can be seen with this code:

http://jsfiddle.net/hTPY7/1107/

<form>
    <div class="form-group">
        <label class="control-label" for="username">Email:</label>
        <div class="input-group">
            <input class="form-control" placeholder="Email" name="email" type="email" required />
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        <label class="control-label" for="password">Password:</label>
        <div class="input-group">
            <input class="form-control" type="password" placeholder="Password" name="lastname" type="text" required />
        </div>
    </div>

        <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Submit</button>
</form>

I know I can submit the form with some JQuery like the code below, but how can I use the Bootstrap 3 validation?

$( "#createUserSubmit" ).click(function() {
  $( "#newUserForm" ).submit();
});

I've been reading Stackoverflow for years, but this is my first post. I have looked around for answers, but all I can find are solutions which use other validation libraries. I would like to use Bootstrap's own built in functions.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I have done some research, and I now know that the form validation I was seeing was not a function of Bootstrap but a new CSS3 / HTML5 feature. I don't believe it is possible (without JS) to perform this form validation unless the submit button is enclosed within the form. Here is an example of what was not working:

http://jsfiddle.net/hTPY7/1112/

Here's an example of how it was fixed:

http://jsfiddle.net/hTPY7/1113/

The <form> element needs to surround more than just the form, but also surround the Bootstrap modal divs.

Here is another post which summarizes my problem well:

HTML5 form validation for AJAX button submit

Answer 2

we need to use some kind of external library or custom code to add validation rules, which will enable us to add validation classes to form. I don't think there is other way around.

Example:

http://jsfiddle.net/mapb_1990/hTPY7/9/

HTML:

<form>
    <div class="form-group">
        <label class="control-label" for="firstname">Nome:</label>
        <div class="input-group">
            <span class="input-group-addon">$</span>
            <input class="form-control" placeholder="Insira o seu nome próprio" name="firstname" type="text" />
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        <label class="control-label" for="lastname">Apelido:</label>
        <div class="input-group">
            <span class="input-group-addon">€</span>
            <input class="form-control" placeholder="Insira o seu apelido" name="lastname" type="text" />
        </div>
    </div>

        <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Submit</button>
</form>

JS:

$('form').validate({
    rules: {
        firstname: {
            minlength: 3,
            maxlength: 15,
            required: true
        },
        lastname: {
            minlength: 3,
            maxlength: 15,
            required: true
        }
    },
    highlight: function(element) {
        $(element).closest('.form-group').addClass('has-error');
    },
    unhighlight: function(element) {
        $(element).closest('.form-group').removeClass('has-error');
    },
    errorElement: 'span',
    errorClass: 'help-block',
    errorPlacement: function(error, element) {
        if(element.parent('.input-group').length) {
            error.insertAfter(element.parent());
        } else {
            error.insertAfter(element);
        }
    }
});

Answer 3

If you accept HTML5, with it's form validation, then it's very simple (no javascript required):

<form id="my-awesome-form">
    ...
</form>
...
<button type="submit" form="my-awesome-form">Submit</button>

Source: https://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_button_form.asp

Coverage is pretty decent: https://caniuse.com/#feat=form-attribute