element validation going wrong for non required input

element validation going wrong for non required input

hi

i have a form which validates each element seperatly, element by element, and only submit at the end.
i seem to have a problem with non-required though.
this is my code:


  1.             if($('#questForm').validate().element('#qInput'+q_step)) {
                    $('#q'+q_step).fadeOut(800, function() {
                                       //some animation for showing the next input
                                    $('#qInput'+(q_step+1)).focus();
                                    q_step++;                               
                                    if (q_step==8) {
                                        $('#questForm').submit();
                                    }
                    });
                    return false;
                } else {
                    return false;
                }

















when a field which doesnt have a any validation rules is in question, it doesnt run unless i do input something [it doesnt even cosider a space as valid].
the stranger thing is that when i looked at firebug, the input DID have the "valid" class applied to it!

using last versions of jquery and validate.
what am i doing wrong?
thanks