# Is relative validation possible?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-relative-validation-possible/93528>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [April 4, 2006, 1:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-relative-validation-possible/93528 "2006-04-04T13:10:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RSSSSRLover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@RSSSSRLover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/RSSSSRLover)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 1:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-relative-validation-possible/93528/1 "2006-04-04T13:10:27Z")

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now when i use validates\_format\_of / validates\_numericality\_of / …

it also checks if something is filled in and this is what i dont want

how can i make that if only someone would fill a field, it would be  
checked on those validitys ?

thx

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**Author:** ![RSSSSRLover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@RSSSSRLover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/RSSSSRLover)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-relative-validation-possible/93528/2 "2006-04-04T18:09:57Z")

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On 4/4/06, R°RLover [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> now when i use validates\_format\_of / validates\_numericality\_of / …
> 
> it also checks if something is filled in and this is what i dont want
> 
> how can i make that if only someone would fill a field, it would be  
> checked on those validitys ?

You’ll probably get a much faster answer at:

[http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails](http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails)

-austin