IST129, Ch 10: Forms
Forms provide WWW users with data entry screens. You must
design the screen with a limited set of controls including
option buttons, checkboxes, text boxes, and combo boxes.
You define the form layout between the
<FORM>...</FORM> tags.
Form example from Ch 1, pg 329.
Form is non-functional in that target program does not exist.
Just for show.
Email form, pg 330
Need email reader from desktop (not HOTMAIL)
for this to work.
The email ends up with no subject and the body looks like:
Subject: blah-blah
Body : blah-blah
That is, the field names from the <input> tags are displayed along
with the text the user typed in.
INPUT tag, pg 332
The <input> tag is used to placed data entry controls
on the form. The data the users types into or selects from
the controls is sent to the receiving server-sdie application
for processing
Forms programming involves server-side programming in combination with
client-side forms. When designing forms, you mau set the tab order
(order in which controls are visited on the screen when the user
presses the <TAB> key as well as whether or not a control
can even be visited by pressing the <TAB> key. In addition,
you may intercept any control during several events that include:
- When a control is clicked (OnClick)
- When the user tabs into a control (OnFocus)
- When the user leaves a control, having changed a value (OnChange)
There is nothing simple about forms programming as it involves
real programming on the server-side, possible use JAVAscript on the
client-aide, and application of programming disciplines in the
design of the form itself. As such, this is where the money starts for
WWW programmers.
Your task?
Create a simple form with the following 3 fields:
- Social Security Number
- Name
- State of Residence (use a SELECT tag as a combo-box for MD, NC, and VA)
And add a [SUBMIT] button at the end, centered on the screen.
Sample Form