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Forms
-- Back to the Basics and Beyond -- Part Two -- Advanced forms
By Shelley Lowery
In part one of this series we focused on setting up a basic form on your
website. We discussed the Form Element Attributes and began the Form Element
Properties. In part two of this series, we will continue with the Form Element
Properties and move on to some more advanced form options.
If you missed part one, you can find it here:
Basic Forms Tutorial
In part one of this series, we went over Text boxes, Hidden, Password and the
Checkbox Form Element Properties. We will now continue with the remaining
properties.
RADIO BUTTON
Enables the user to select
multiple options.
<FORM
METHOD=post ACTION="/cgi-bin/example.cgi">
<INPUT type="RADIO" name="selection1"> Selection 1
<INPUT type="RADIO" name="selection2"> Selection 2
<INPUT type="RADIO" name="selection3"> Selection 3
<INPUT type="Submit" value="Submit">
</FORM> |
Radio Button Attributes
TYPE - Radio
CHECKED - Specifies a default selection.
NAME - Name of the variable to be processed by the form processing script.
VALUE - The value of the selected radio button.
SUBMIT
Enables users to submit the
form information to the form processing script.
| <INPUT
type="SUBMIT" value="Submit"> |
Submit Attributes
TYPE - Submit
NAME - Name of the variable to be processed by the form processing script.
VALUE - Specifies the text to be displayed on the submit button.
IMAGE SUBMIT BUTTON
| <INPUT
type="image" SRC="url"> |
Enables users to submit the
form information to the form processing script. Instead of the regular submit
button, an image submit button will be displayed.
| <INPUT
type="image" name="submit" SRC="image.gif"> |
Image Submit Attributes
TYPE - Image
NAME - Name of the variable to be processed by the form processing script.
SRC - Image URL.
RESET
Enables users to clear a form
if necessary.
| <INPUT
type="RESET" value="Reset"> |
Reset Submit Attributes
TYPE - Reset
VALUE - Specifies the text to be displayed on the reset
button.
SELECT
Surrounds the code for a
selection drop down menu.
<FORM
METHOD=post ACTION="/cgi-bin/example.cgi">
<SELECT SIZE="5">
<OPTION>option 1
<OPTION>option 2
<OPTION>option 3
</SELECT>
<INPUT type="Submit" value="Submit">
</FORM> |
Select Attributes
NAME - Name of the variable to be processed by the form processing script.
SIZE - Specifies the number of visible selections.
MULTIPLE - Enables users to select multiple selections.
OPTION
Used with the SELECT element
to display the options.
<FORM
METHOD=post ACTION="/cgi-bin/example.cgi">
<SELECT>
<OPTION>option 1
<OPTION>option 2
<OPTION>option 3
</SELECT>
<INPUT type="Submit" VALUE="Submit">
</FORM> |
Option Attributes
SELECTED - Specifies a default selection.
VALUE - Specifies the value of the variable in the select element.
TEXTAREA
Specifies an open text area.
<FORM
METHOD=post ACTION="/cgi-bin/example.cgi">
Enter Your Comments:<BR>
<TEXTAREA wrap="virtual" name="Comments" rows=3
cols=20 maxlength=100>
</TEXTAREA><BR>
<INPUT type="Submit" VALUE="Submit">
<INPUT type="Reset" VALUE="Clear">
</FORM> |
Textarea Attributes
NAME - Name of the variable to be processed by the form processing script.
COLS - The number of columns within the text area.
ROWS - The number of rows within the text area.
WRAP - Specifies the text wrap. The default setting is off.
The WRAP can be set to "VIRTUAL" or "PHYSICAL" and will wrap the text as the
user types.
Tip: In order to properly format your form, you may want to place it within a
table.
Here is a basic email form set up within a table:
<FORM
action="mailto:you@yourdomain.com">
<TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2">
<TR>
<TD><FONT face="Verdana" size=2>Name:</FONT></TD>
<TD><INPUT name="Name" value="" size="10"></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD><FONT face="Verdana" size=2>Email:</FONT></TD>
<TD><INPUT name="Email" value="" size="10"></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD></TD>
<TD><INPUT type="submit" value="Submit"></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
</FORM> |
Advanced Forms
If you have a good form processing script, you will have the option to create
highly technical forms with additional options:
Multi-page Forms
Provides you with the ability to create a form that spans more than one page.
The data you specify will be collected on the first form page and will be
transferred to the second page. You can have as many pages as you need and the
data will continue to be passed through each page until the final submission.
Placeholders are used within each form page to collect and pass the data.
Customized Confirmation Page
Enables you to create a customized confirmation page that may contain your
visitor's name and any other information you've collected. In addition, you can
even include the date, time and your visitor's IP address (Internet Provider).
Printable Confirmation Page
Enables you to provide your customers with a printable confirmation page for
data such as order receipts.
Templates
Provides you with the ability to completely customize the information your form
processes. You can use a template to specify how your data will be displayed
when it is sent to your email address, and even use a template to set up a
database in a specific format.
Database
Enables you to collect your form's data and stores it within a database.
The possibilities are endless. Keep in mind, most form processing scripts will
not provide you with these abilities.
The best form I have found is called, Master Form. This form will enable you to
have the results emailed to you or to a specified address, can write your
information to a database
file and even have a personalized thank you page. In addition, you can even have
multi-page forms with no limit on the number of pages. This script costs $35 and
can be found here:
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/web/jump.cgi?ID=762
In the final part of this series, we will be focusing on some great tips and
tricks you can use to spice up your forms such as:
Creating a Default Form Option
Customizing Your Input Boxes
Adding Color to Your Input Boxes
Disappearing Form Text
Flashing Cursor in Form on Load
Tabbing Through Forms
Customizing Form Colors
Make sure you don't miss the final lesson in this powerful series.
Go to Part Three
Copyright © Shelley Lowery
About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design
Mastery.
http://www.webdesignmastery.com And, Ebook Starter - Give Your Ebooks the
look and feel of a REAL book.
http://www.ebookstarter.com
Visit Web-Source.net to sign up for a complimentary subscription to Etips and
receive a copy of the acclaimed ebook, "Killer Internet Marketing Strategies."
http://www.web-source.net
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