How to set up an Array in javascript ?

[helpmesoon]

Hi,
I'm new to the Forum world as well as a beginner in JavaScript. I'm working with a PDF Form in FOXIT Phantom PDF. My question; Some questions on the form have multiple entries. How do I set up an array to reduce the redundant coding that I have provide below. ... Thank You
For Example;

var txtFormErrors = this.getField("txtFormErrors");
txtFormErrors.value = " ";
//>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
//Question 4a
var txtQ4aErrors = this.getField("txtQ4aErrors");
txtQ4aErrors.textColor = color.red;
txtQ4aErrors.value = "";

var strSummaryQ4a = "";
var strErrorQ4a = checkQ4a();

if(strErrorQ4a == "")
{
txtQ4aErrors.value = "Question 4a: You have affirmed that the information is correct for the current reporting year. " ;
txtQ4aErrors.textColor = color.green;

strSummaryQ4a = "Q4a OK. \n" ;
}
else
{
txtQ4aErrors.value = strErrorQ4a;
strSummaryQ4a = "Q4a Incomplete. \n";
}
//>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
// Create the form validation summary
txtFormErrors.value = (strSummaryQ4a);
//>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
//>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
//**************************************************************************************************** **
// Function to check Question 4a for errors
function checkQ4a()
{
var strError = "";

var fds_4anone = this.getField("fds_4anone");

var fds_4aposition1 = this.getField("fds_4aposition1");
var fds_4aorganization1 = this.getField("fds_4aorganization1");
var fds_4aagency1 = this.getField("fds_4aagency1");

var fds_4aposition2 = this.getField("fds_4aposition2");
var fds_4aorganization2 = this.getField("fds_4aorganization2");
var fds_4aagency2 = this.getField("fds_4aagency2");

var fds_4aposition3 = this.getField("fds_4aposition3");
var fds_4aorganization3 = this.getField("fds_4aorganization3");
var fds_4aagency3 = this.getField("fds_4aagency3");

var fds_4aposition4 = this.getField("fds_4aposition4");
var fds_4aorganization4 = this.getField("fds_4aorganization4");
var fds_4aagency4 = this.getField("fds_4aagency4");

var fds_4aposition5 = this.getField("fds_4aposition5");
var fds_4aorganization5 = this.getField("fds_4aorganization5");
var fds_4aagency5 = this.getField("fds_4aagency5");


if (fds_4anone.value != "Yes" &&
(fds_4aposition1.value == "" && fds_4aorganization1.value == "" &&
fds_4aposition2.value == "" && fds_4aorganization2.value == "" &&
fds_4aposition3.value == "" && fds_4aorganization3.value == "" &&
fds_4aposition4.value == "" && fds_4aorganization4.value == "" &&
fds_4aposition5.value == "" && fds_4aorganization5.value == ""
))
{
strError = "You must check 'None' or fill in an answer.";
}
else if (fds_4anone.value == "Yes" &&
(fds_4aposition1.value != "" || fds_4aorganization1.value != "" ||
fds_4aposition2.value != "" || fds_4aorganization2.value != "" ||
fds_4aposition3.value != "" || fds_4aorganization3.value != "" ||
fds_4aposition4.value != "" || fds_4aorganization4.value != "" ||
fds_4aposition5.value != "" || fds_4aorganization5.value != ""
))
{
strError = "All fields for this question must be left blank since you
checked 'None' as your answer.";
}
else
{
if ((fds_4aposition1.value != "" || fds_4aorganization1.value != "" ) &&
(fds_4aposition1.value == "" || fds_4aorganization1.value == "" ))
{
strError = "All fields in row 1 must be filled.\n";
}

if ((fds_4aposition2.value != "" || fds_4aorganization2.value != "" ) &&
(fds_4aposition2.value == "" || fds_4aorganization2.value == "" ))
{
strError = strError + "All fields in row 2 must be filled in.\n";
}

if ((fds_4aposition3.value != "" || fds_4aorganization3.value != "" ) &&
(fds_4aposition3.value == "" || fds_4aorganization3.value == "" ))
{
strError = strError + "All fields in row 3 must be filled in.\n";
}

if ((fds_4aposition4.value != "" || fds_4aorganization4.value != "" ) &&
(fds_4aposition4.value == "" || fds_4aorganization4.value == "" ))
{
strError = strError + "All fields in row 4 must be filled in.\n";
}

if ((fds_4aposition5.value != "" || fds_4aorganization5.value != "" ) &&
(fds_4aposition5.value == "" || fds_4aorganization5.value == "" ))
{
strError = strError + "All fields in row 5 must be filled in.\n";
}
}
return strError;
}

[Old Pedant]

Ummm...you really only need one simple array. To keep track of which rows are blank/nonblank.

Like this:

function isBlank( fname )
{
    var val = this.getField( fname ).value;
    val = val.replace(/^\s+/,"").replace(/\s+$/,""); // trim off leading/trailing spaces
    return val == ""; // return true if field was blank
}

function checkQ4a()
{
    var allOrNone = this.getField("fds_4anone").value;
    isYes = allOrNone == Yes"; // ???? THIS PROBABLY WON'T WORK!

    var allBlank = true;
    var rowBlank = [ ]; // array
    for ( var row = 1; row <= 5; ++row )
    {
        var threeblank = 
               isBlank("fds_4aposition" + row)
            && isBlank("fds_4aorganization" + row)
            && isBlank("fds_4aagency" + row);
        allBlank &= threeblank;
        rowBlank[row] = threeblank;
    }
    if ( isYes )
    {
        if ( ! allBlank ) 
        {
            return "All fields for this question must be left blank since you checked 'None' as your answer.\n";
        }
        /* else: NONE and allBlank, so all is okay */
        return "";
    }
    // if we get here, NONE was *NOT* checked, so ...
    if ( allBlank ) 
    {
        return "You must check 'None' or fill in an answer.\n";
    } 
    var strError = "";
    for ( var row = 1; row <= 5; ++row )
    {
        if ( rowBlank[row] )
        {
            strError += "All fields in row " + row + "must be filled.\n";
        }
    }
    return strError;
}

If your field fds_4anone is a check box or a pair of radio buttons, then I don't think you can simply get its value like that. I think you would need to actually test to see what is checked/unchecked. But maybe not, since this is for PDF and not a browser. You will have to figure that part out.

I do think that just testing for a blank/nonblank field is HORRIBLY inadequate. It means that a person could, for example, enter a single period (or single asterisk or ...) for each answer and you would accept it.

Without knowing the kind of data you expect in all those fields, though, I can't do better than the blank test as you were doing it. I did improve it so that it strips off any leading or trailing spaces from the entered value. Which at least means that the user can't just enter a space for the answer.

[helpmesoon]

Thank You .... I'll incorporate your suggestion.