jQuery.validator.addMethod("username", function(value, element) { 
  return this.optional(element) || /^[a-zA-Z0-9_@.-]+$/.test(value); 
}, "Please use only letters, numbers, periods, underscores, hyphens and '@'.");

$(document).ready(function(){
	
	// manually check email & password conirmation
	
	$("#registerForm").validate({
		rules:{
			strNameFirst         : {required:true,minlength:2},
			strNameMiddleInitial : {minlength:1,maxlength:1},
			strNameLast          : {required:true,minlength:2},
			strEmail             : {required:true,email:true},
			strPersonID          : {required:true,minlength:5,username:true},
			register_password    : {required:true},
			register_password2   : {required:true,equalTo:"#register_password"},
		},
		messages:{
			strNameFirst         : {
									required:"Required",
									minlength:"Please enter your full first name."
									},
			strNameMiddleInitial : {
									minlength:"Please enter only one letter for your initial.",
									maxlength:"Please enter only one letter for your initial."
									},
			strNameLast          : {
									required:"Required",
									minlength:"Please enter your full last name."
									},
			strEmail             : {
									required:"Required",
									email:"Please enter a valid email address."
									},
			register_password    : {
									required:"Required",
									},
			register_password2   : {
									required:"Required",
									equalTo:"Passwords don't match - try entering your password in both fields again."
									},
		}
	});

});