The problem with not initializing them as required on the layout page is that the span does not get created. So then there is nothing there to show. And it works fine for the date button, just not for the checkbox list. I think it has something to do with each checkbox being nested under the whole. Along with the 'other' option being almost it's own thing.

You can add it in Javascript using code like this:

$('.myField .cf-label').append('<span class="cf-required">*</span>');

Thanks, is there a way to make sure it only appends the first time? ... oh wait I could do that at the start of the page and simply hide it right away :)

Yeah, just doing it at load works
-or-
You could check if it exists before adding it
-or-
You could remove it immediately before adding it (won't remove it if it doesn't exist, but will if it does - you always start with a clean state right before adding it).

One of the thins I love about coding is there are so many ways to get the job done so it becomes a matter of style.

Very true!

Still not working right if I trigger it so it dynamically sets the check boxes to required then switch them back to unrequired. It continues to say that the "other" check box is required.  I'm thinking it has something to do with "other" being handled differently. Is there a way to just deal with the other checkbox, I think when I do the line of "dayListInput.attr('required', 'True');" it's going down into that other option and setting it separately. but for some reason is not then removing it. I hope that was understandable.

  function setRequired(dayText, isRequired) {
    
    /* find the fields that the required attribute is to be modified         */
    /* Each field's input and the span                                      */
    /* the span holds the asterix that is displayed when required            */
    var dayListSpan = $('.day' + dayText + 'Symptoms span.cf-required'); 
    var dayListLabel = $('.day' + dayText + 'Symptoms .cf-label');   
    var dayListInput = $('.day' + dayText + 'Symptoms input');   

    var dateSpan = $('.day' + dayText + 'Date span.cf-required');
    var dateLabel = $('.day' + dayText + 'Date .cf-label');
    var dateInput = $('.day' + dayText + 'Date input'); 
    
    var dayEnteredByInput = $('.day' + dayText + 'EnteredBy input'); 
    
    /* Remove span immediately before adding it. It won't remove it if it    */
    /* doesn't exist, but will if it does - you always start with a clean    */
    /* state right before adding it                                          */    
    dayListSpan.remove();
    dayListLabel.append('<span class="cf-required">*</span>');  
    dayListSpan = $('.day' + dayText + 'Symptoms span.cf-required');
    
    dateSpan.remove();
    dateLabel.append('<span class="cf-required">*</span>');  
    dateSpan = $('.day' + dayText + 'Date span.cf-required');    
    
    if (isRequired)
    {
      dayListSpan.show();
      dayListInput.attr('required', 'True');

      dateSpan.show();
      dateInput.attr('required', 'True');  
      
      /* set the Entered by value to the current user */ 
      dayEnteredByInput.val(currUser).change();
    }
    else
    {
      dayListSpan.hide();
      dayListInput.removeClass('required').removeAttr('required');   
      
      dateSpan.hide();
      dateInput.removeClass('required').removeAttr('required');
      
      /* clear the Entered by value  */ 
      dayEnteredByInput.val('').change();   
      

    };
  
  };  

more oddness... even when it's required and I click on every check box and add in a value to the other(fever) field. It is still claiming it's required and not allowing a submit to happen.