Chapter 14: Working with Forms

Sections - Part IV: Integrating Scripts with (X)HTML

Most of the HTML you write helps you display content and information for your users. Sometimes, however, you want a Web page to gather information from users instead of giving static information to them. HTML form markup tags give you a healthy collection of elements and attributes for creating forms to collect information from visitors to your site.

This chapter covers the many different users for forms. It also shows you how to use form markup tags to create just the right form for soliciting information from your users, reviews youroptions for working with the data you receive, and gives you some tips for creating easy-to-use forms that really help your users provide the information you're looking for.

Page 248, Figure 14-1: Searches
The IRS home page uses two short search forms

Page 249, Figure 14-2: 2008 refund status is now available; please visit https://sa1.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp

Page 250, Figure 14-3: You can see the notifications message from the Library of Congress at http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/tlpnewsletter/nlsubscribe.html

Page 250, Figure 14-4: The RateGenius application page is available online at https://www.rategenius.com/Apply/Apply.php

Page 251: WebMonkey has been reorganized; find the Good Form! and related content online at "Add HTML Forms to Your Site" http://www.webmonkey.com/tutorial/Add_HTML_Forms_to_Your_Site

Page 253 through 262: PLEASE NOTE: Wherever you see action="post" in a code listing or sample, you should be aware that this must say method="post" to be syntactically correct (and valid). We've corrected all the files associated with this chapter, but we can't fix text that's already printed. Please don't repeat our dumb mistake, made worse by its repetition.

Page 253, Figure 14-5: Text entry fields in a form (display view) (code view)

Page 254, Figure 14-6: Text field size (display view) (code view)

Page 255, Figure 14-7: Masked text (display view) (code view)

Page 256, Figure 14-8: Check boxes and radio buttons (display view) (code view)

Page 258, Figure 14-9: A file-upload field (display view) (code view)

Page 259, Figure 14-10: A drop-down list (display view) (code view)

Page 260, Figure 14-11: A multiple options list (display view) (code view)

Page 261, Figure 14-12: A text box (display view) (code view)

Page 263, Figure 14-13: Submit and reset buttons (display view) (code view)

Page 264: JavaScript resources

http://www.w3schools.com/js/default.asp
http://www.quirksmode.org/js/forms.html
The existing WebMonkey link no longer works because the site has been reorganized. You can visit www.webmonkey.com and search on "JavaScript Tutorial." There are 5 lessons each there for "JavaScript Tutorial" and "Advanced JavaScript Tutorial"; all are worth checking out.

Page 264: CGI resources

http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/LearnMore/Validation.asp
http://www.cgi101.com/book/ (see especially Chapter 4)

Page 265: The WebMonkey article "CGI Scripts for Fun and Profit" is not available as we update this book (WebMonkey is being reorganized); check out "CGI Scripts" at http://www.buildwebsite4u.com/advanced/cgi-scripts.shtml instead.

Page 266: Free script repositories