hello all,

  I need your expert guidance in the following matter.

here's my two sets of codes from Apex class:

        if (!isValidUserName()){
           ApexPages.Message msg = new ApexPages.Message(ApexPages.Severity.ERROR, 'Username should be a valid email address.');
            ApexPages.addMessage(msg);
            return null;
        }

   private boolean isValidUserName(){
        String at = '@';
        String dot = '.';
        Integer iLenAt = username.indexOf(at);
        Integer iLenDot = username.indexOf(dot,iLenAt);
        
        if(username.indexOf(at) <= 0 || username.indexOf(at) == username.length() || username.indexOf(dot) <= 0 
        || username.indexOf(dot) == username.length() || username.substring(iLenAt+1,iLenAt+2)==dot || username.indexOf(dot,(iLenAt+2))==-1 || username.indexOf(' ') !=-1 ){
            return false;
        }
 
        return true;
    }

/*----------------------------------------*/
public boolean checkFirstName(){
         if (first_Name.length() == 0 ){
//             ApexPages.Message msgFirstName = new ApexPages.Message(ApexPages.Severity.INFO, 'First Name is required.',  'First Name is required.');
            ApexPages.Message msgFirstName = new ApexPages.Message(ApexPages.Severity.ERROR, Label.First_Name_Required);
            ApexPages.addMessage(msgFirstName);
 
            bRetVal= false;
        }
}

my visualforce page contains the following components:

	          						<tr>
	          							<td>
	          								<apex:outputLabel value="First Name: " for="firstName" styleClass="applicationInformationLabelRequired"/>
	          							</td>
	          							<td>
	          								<apex:inputText required="true" id="firstName" value="{!firstName}" size="25"/>
	          							</td>
	          						</tr>
	          						<tr>
	          							<td>
	          								<apex:outputLabel value="{!$Label.site.username}/Email: " for="username" styleClass="applicationInformationLabelRequired"/>
	          							</td>
	          							<td>
	          								<apex:inputText required="true" id="username" value="{!username}" size="25"/> 
	          							</td>
	          						</tr>

both set of codes are similar and simple however for firstname the message is printed:

:theForm:theBlock:Section:firstName: Validation Error: Value is required.

which is wrong.

where as for user name the message is :

Username should be a valid email address.

which is what I want.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.