me encontré con este ejemplo que se acaba antes de encontrar su pregunta mientras que googlear algo más, esperando que esto ayude a alguien con el mismo problema:
https://djaodjin.com/blog/jquery-multi-step-validation.blog.html
Básicamente, al parecer sólo validation.js valida los campos visibles por defecto.
Aquí está el código completo, haga clic a través del enlace para ver la explicación:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<title>Multiple step form</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.4/css/bootstrap.min.css">
<script type="text/javascript" src="js/jquery-1.9.0.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ajax.aspnetcdn.com/ajax/jquery.validate/1.13.1/jquery.validate.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ajax.aspnetcdn.com/ajax/jquery.validate/1.13.1/additional-methods.js"></script>
<style type="text/css">
#personal_information,
#company_information{
display:none;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="container">
<div class="col-lg-5">
<form class="form-horizontal" action="" method="POST" id="myform">
<fieldset id="account_information" class="">
<legend>Account information</legend>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="username" class="col-lg-4 control-label">Username</label>
<div class="col-lg-8">
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="username" name="username" placeholder="username">
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="password" class="col-lg-4 control-label">Password</label>
<div class="col-lg-8">
<input type="password" class="form-control" id="password" name="password" placeholder="Password">
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="conf_password" class="col-lg-4 control-label">Confirm password</label>
<div class="col-lg-8">
<input type="password" class="form-control" id="conf_password" name="conf_password" placeholder="Password">
</div>
</div>
<p><a class="btn btn-primary next">next</a></p>
</fieldset>
<fieldset id="company_information" class="">
<legend>Account information</legend>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="company" class="col-lg-4 control-label">Company</label>
<div class="col-lg-8">
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="company" name="company" placeholder="Company">
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="url" class="col-lg-4 control-label">Website url</label>
<div class="col-lg-8">
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="url" name="url" placeholder="Website url">
</div>
</div>
<p><a class="btn btn-primary next">next</a></p>
</fieldset>
<fieldset id="personal_information" class="">
<legend>Personal information</legend>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="name" class="col-lg-4 control-label">Name</label>
<div class="col-lg-8">
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="name" name="name" placeholder="Name">
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="email" class="col-lg-4 control-label">Email</label>
<div class="col-lg-8">
<input type="email" class="form-control" id="email" name="email" placeholder="Email">
</div>
</div>
<p><a class="btn btn-primary" id="previous" >Previous</a></p>
<p><input class="btn btn-success" type="submit" value="submit"></p>
</fieldset>
</form>
</div>
</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function(){
// Custom method to validate username
$.validator.addMethod("usernameRegex", function(value, element) {
return this.optional(element) || /^[a-zA-Z0-9]*$/i.test(value);
}, "Username must contain only letters, numbers");
$(".next").click(function(){
var form = $("#myform");
form.validate({
errorElement: 'span',
errorClass: 'help-block',
highlight: function(element, errorClass, validClass) {
$(element).closest('.form-group').addClass("has-error");
},
unhighlight: function(element, errorClass, validClass) {
$(element).closest('.form-group').removeClass("has-error");
},
rules: {
username: {
required: true,
usernameRegex: true,
minlength: 6,
},
password : {
required: true,
},
conf_password : {
required: true,
equalTo: '#password',
},
company:{
required: true,
},
url:{
required: true,
},
name: {
required: true,
minlength: 3,
},
email: {
required: true,
minlength: 3,
},
},
messages: {
username: {
required: "Username required",
},
password : {
required: "Password required",
},
conf_password : {
required: "Password required",
equalTo: "Password don't match",
},
name: {
required: "Name required",
},
email: {
required: "Email required",
},
}
});
if (form.valid() === true){
if ($('#account_information').is(":visible")){
current_fs = $('#account_information');
next_fs = $('#company_information');
}else if($('#company_information').is(":visible")){
current_fs = $('#company_information');
next_fs = $('#personal_information');
}
next_fs.show();
current_fs.hide();
}
});
$('#previous').click(function(){
if($('#company_information').is(":visible")){
current_fs = $('#company_information');
next_fs = $('#account_information');
}else if ($('#personal_information').is(":visible")){
current_fs = $('#personal_information');
next_fs = $('#company_information');
}
next_fs.show();
current_fs.hide();
});
});
</script>
</body>
</html>
Gracias por su respuesta, veo la lógica en su respuesta, pero no quiero mostrar automáticamente el siguiente conjunto de campos cuando los datos se ingresan en un campo. ¿Puedo vincular la validación de un fieldset a un botón? p.ej. crear una función validateFS1() que devuelve verdadero es el fieldset es válido. –
Sí - puede usar un botón o un enlace - solo inserte un código que diga onClick = "validateFS1()" y use esa función para mostrar el próximo fieldset si la validación devuelve verdadero. – Adam