jQuery Forum

I'm using the following code to validate input fields, and some additional code to validate radio buttons and checkboxes. To deal with the radios/checkboxes I'm using browser alerts (they proved to be too difficult to style with highlighting). What I'd like to do is check all the input fields first, and then validate the radio/check fields so that the alerts don't appear until after everything else has been filled out. Otherwise, the alert box appears in the browser on top of all the highlighted input fields. Too messy. Does anyone have an idea of how I can combine the two scripts and modify the code to order the validation of elements?

1. $(document).ready(function() {
                  
       // Adding an additional method...           
       $.validator.addMethod("alpha", function(value,element)
       {
          return this.optional(element) || /^[a-zA-Z]$/i.test(value);
       }, "Letters only");
   
       // Validate signup form on key-up and submit
       $("#signupForm").validate({
   
           errorClass: "error",
           highlight: function(element, errorClass, validClass) {
             $(element).css({ backgroundColor: '#ff7800' });
             $(element).closest("input")
               .addClass(errorClass)
               .removeClass(validClass);
           },
           unhighlight: function(element, errorClass, validClass) {
             $(element).css({ backgroundColor: '#ffffff' });
             $(element).closest("input")
               .removeClass(errorClass)
               .addClass(validClass);
           },
   
           errorPlacement: function() {
               // Adding this function overrides the original Validator function
               // And since nothing is specified, no errors messages are displayed
             },
     
           rules: {
               first_name: {
                      required: true,
                      minlength: 2
                },
               middle_init: {
                   // accept: "[a-zA-Z]+"
                   alpha: true
               },
               last_name: {
                      required: true,
                      minlength: 2
                },
               address_1: {
                   required: true,
                   minlength: 5
               },
               city: "required",
               state: "required",
               country: "required",
               postal: "required",
               confirm_email: {
                   required: true,
                   email: true,
                   equalTo: "#email"
               },
               email: {
                   required: true,
                   email: true
               },
               phoneAreaCode: "required",
               phoneMiddle: "required",
               phoneLast: "required",
               //fellowship: "required",
               participation: "required"
           },
   
       });   
   });