function countWords(field) {
	var text1 = field;
	var text2 = text1.replace(/\s+/g, ' ');
	var text3 = text2.split(' ');
	var numberOfWords = text3.length;
	
	return numberOfWords	
}

function isEmail(s){  
			// there must be >= 1 character before @, so we
			// start looking at character position 1 
			// (i.e. second character)
			var i = 1;
			var sLength = s.length;
		
			// look for @
			while ((i < sLength) && (s.charAt(i) != "@"))
			{ i++ }
		
			if ((i >= sLength) || (s.charAt(i) != "@")) return false;
			else i += 2;
		
			// look for .
			while ((i < sLength) && (s.charAt(i) != "."))
			{ i++ }
		
			// there must be at least one character after the .
			if ((i >= sLength - 1) || (s.charAt(i) != ".")) return false;
			else return true;
}
   
function validate() {
	if (document.form1.tribute.value == "") {
		alert("Please enter your Tribute Message to your favourite teacher.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (countWords(document.form1.tribute.value) > 500) {
		alert("You can only enter a maximum of 500 words in your Tribute Message.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.form1.name.value == "") {
		alert("Please enter your Name.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.form1.nric.value == "") {
		alert("Please enter your NRIC.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.form1.nric.value.length != 9) {
		alert("Please enter 9 characters for your NRIC.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.form1.age.value == "err") {
		alert("Please select your Age.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.form1.gender.value == "err") {
		alert("Please select your Gender.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.form1.email.value == "") {
		alert("Please enter your Email.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (isEmail(document.form1.email.value) == false) {
		alert("Please enter a valid Email.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.form1.phone.value == "") {
		alert("Please enter your Phone Number.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (isNaN(document.form1.phone.value) == true)  {
		alert("Please enter digits for your Phone Number.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.form1.phone.value.length != 8) {
		alert("Please enter a valid Phone Number.");
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.form1.address.value == "") {
		alert("Please enter your Address.");
		return false;
	}	
	
	if (document.form1.school.value == "") {
		alert("Please enter your School.");
		return false;
	}		
}