or

$("#myform").kendoValidator({ rules: { custom: function(input) { var ret = true; if(input.is("[name=firstname]")){ ret = (input.val() === "Tom"); } else if(input.is("[name=lastname]")){ ret = (input.val() === "Smith"); } return ret; } }, messages: { custom: function(input) { if( input.is("[name=firstname]") ) { // want the message to say "Please be Tom" return 'Please be a Tom'; // this does not work } else if ( input.is(["name=lastname]") ) { // want the message to say "Please be Tom" return 'Please be a Smith'; // this does not work } } }});return 'Please be Tom'; fails to place any text in the error message.
$widget = $element.kendoMultiSelect({ dataTextField: "Name", dataValueField: "Id", // define a custom template dataSource: { transport: { read: { dataType: "json", url: $url } } }, open: function (e) { this.list.addClass("tag-cloud"); }, close: function (e) { //e.preventDefault(); }, value: viewModel.get("Tags")}).data("kendoMultiSelect");<div style="width: 500px;"> <h2 class="fg-color-blueDeep">Tags</h2> <div class="input-control" data-for="tags"> <select id="tags" multiple="multiple" data-placeholder="Select Tags..." class="dark tag-cloud" data-bind="value: Tags" style="width: 500px;"></select> </div></div>