datepicker, no manual input

datepicker, no manual input

Hi,
 
I am new to jquery but am becomming a fan fast !
 
I am playing with the datepicker, but I realize that most of the time, in all examples, the input field actually is accessible for manual input (by tabbing to it or so) in a way thet that datepicker does not open.
Also the manual input will not be vailidated if it is a date that validates against the set date format.
 
Is there a solution to get this done?
 
An alternative for me would do too, where there is no input field, only a datepicker icon that allows to show the datepicker.  If the date is chosen, a hidden input field is set and somehow, inside a span or a td, the value is shown to the user too.
 
Anyone has any suggestions?
 
Ed