1. New Perspectives on Creating Web Pages with HTML
Tutorial 6: Creating Web Page Forms
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2. Tutorial Objectives Learn about CGI scripts
Review the various parts of an online form
Create form elements
Create a hidden field on a form
Work with form attributes
Learn how to send data from a form to a CGI script
Learn how to send form information without using CGI scripts
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3. An Example of a Form
This figure shows a sketch of a proposed registration form.
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4. The Interaction between a Web Page Form and a CGI Script
This figure shows how a Web page form interacts with a CGI script.
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5. Working with CGI Scripts
HTML supports tags for creating forms, however, it does not process the information.
Use CGI (Common Gateway Interface) script to process form information.
CGI script runs on the Web server and receives data from a form and uses it to perform a set of tasks.
Web page designers may not be able to create or edit CGI scripts.
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and universities may provide CGI scripts that their customers and student can use on their Web sites, but which they cannot directly access or modify
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6. CGI Scripts Among the many things CGI scripts made possible are:
online database containing customer information
catalogues for ordering and purchasing items online
databases containing product support information
determining the number of times a Web page has been accessed
server-side image maps
message boards for online discussion forums
for discussion groups
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7. CGI Script Restrictions
There are several reasons to restrict direct access to CGI scripts:
CGI scripts are actually running a program directly on the server
security risks from computer hackers
drain on system resources caused by large numbers of programs running simultaneously
System administration are understandably careful to maintain strict control over their servers and systems.
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8. CGI Scripts and Computer Languages
CGI scripts can be written in a variety of different computer languages. Some of the most commonly used languages are:
AppleScript
ASP
C/C++
Perl
TCL
The UNIX shell
Visual Basic
The computer language used depends on the Web server.
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9. Form Components and Elements
First Name
Address #1
Address #2
City
Last Name
Country
State
Zip
Item Purchased
Purchase Date
Home
Business
Government
Educational Institution
Netware
Banyan Vines
Windows
IBM Lan Server
Comments?:
Send Registration
Cancel
Serial Number
Used For (check one)
Network Operating System (check all that apply)
Religious or Charitable Institution
PC/NFS
text box
drop-down list box
radio buttons
check boxes
text area
form button
group box
This figure shows a form that contains various control elements commonly used in Web page forms.
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10. Form Control Elements Control elements that are commonly used:
text boxes for text and numerical entries
selection lists for long lists of options, usually appearing in a drop-down list box
radio buttons, also called option buttons, to select a single option from a predefined list
check boxes to specify an item as either present or absent
groups boxes to organize form elements
text areas for extended entries that can include several lines of text
buttons that can be clicked to start processing the form
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11. Form Control Elements Continued
Each control element in which the user can enter information is called a field.
Information entered into a field is called the field value, or simply the value.
In some fields, users are free to enter anything they choose.
Other fields, such as selection lists, limit the user to a predefined list of options.
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12. The <form> Tag
The <form> tag identifies the beginning and end of a form.
A single page can include several different forms, but you cannot nest one form inside another.
The general syntax of the <form> tag is:
<form attributes>
form elements and layout tags
</form>
Between the <form> and </form> tags, place the various tags for each of the fields in the form.
Use standard HTML tags to specify the form’s appearance.
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13. The <form> Tag Continued
A single Web page can contain multiple forms, the <form> tag includes the name attribute.
The name attribute identifies each form on the page.
The name attribute is also needed for programs that retrieve values from the form.
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14. Adding the <form> Tag
The <form> tag includes attributes that control how the form is processed, including information on what CGI script to use, how the data is to be transferred to the script, and so forth.
This figure shows the form name “reg.”
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15. Structuring a Form
Horizontal lines can provide structure to a form by separating sections.
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16. Layout of a Registration Form
This figure shows sections that are separated from each other with a horizontal line. Structuring a form in this fashion can make it easier to identify the different sections.
contact information
buttons
product information
comments
usage information
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17. Input Types This figure shows other supported HTML input types.
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18. Working with Text Boxes
Text boxes are created using the <input> tag.
The general syntax is:
<input type=“type” name=“name” id=“id”>
type specifies the type of input field
name and id attributes identifies the input field for the CGI script
To create a text box, you would enter the tag:
<input type=“text”>
If the type attribute is not included, the Web browser assumes, by default, that you want to create a text box.
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19. The name and id Attribute
The name and id attributes of the <input> tag identifies the input field for the CGI script.
The name attribute represents the older standard, but it is deprecated in HTML 4.01, however, some CGI scripts still recognize only the name attribute
The newest standard uses the id attribute.
The id attribute is required, if a form contains form labels.
It is best to duplicate the information by using both the name and id attributes.
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20. Creating a Text Box To create a text box, use the following HTML code:
<input name=“name” id=“id” value=“value” size=“value” maxlength=“value”>
name and id attributes identify the field
value attribute assigns a default value to the text box
size attribute defines the width of the text box in number of characters
maxlength attribute defines the maximum number of characters allowed in the field
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21. Name/Value Pairs sent from the Web Form to the CGI Script
This figure shows when form data is sent to the CGI script, the script receives the name or id of each field in the form paired with whatever value the user entered in the field. The script then processes the data according to each name/value pair.
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22. CGI Script Names
Some CGI scripts require a particular field or groups of fields.
for example, a CGI script whose purpose is to form values to another user might require a field named “ ” that contains the address of the recipient
Before using a CGI script, check the documentation for any requirements and then design your form accordingly.
Case is important in field names.
a field named “ ” might not be interpreted by the CGI script in the same way as a field named “ ”
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23. Text Boxes on the Form
Text boxes are blank and do not contain any accompanying text, a text description needs to be inserted, such as “Last Name”, adjacent to each box so that the user knows what to enter.
text box
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24. Controlling the Size of a Text Box
By default, all text boxes are 20 characters wide.
The syntax for changing the size of a text box is:
<input size=“value”>
value is the size of the text box in characters
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25. Setting the Width of Text Boxes
This figure shows an example of code for setting the width of text boxes.
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26. Result of Setting the Width of Text Boxes
Once changes are made, save the changes to a file, and then reload or refresh it in the browser.
Netscape users may have to close and open the file for the changes to the Web form to take effect.
text box width set to 30 characters
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27. Setting the Maximum Length for Text Input
Setting the width of a text box does not limit the number of characters the box can hold.
if a user enters text longer than the box’s width, the text scrolls to the left
the user cannot see the entire text, but all of it is sent to the CGI script for processing
The syntax for setting the maximum length for field input is:
<input maxlength=“value”>
value is the maximum number of characters that can be stored in the field
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28. Specify the Maximum Length for a Field
This figure shows an example of limiting the width of the zip code field to five characters.
no more than 5 characters are allowed in this text box
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29. Setting a Default Value for a Field
When the same value is entered into a field, it may make sense to define a default value for a field.
Default values can save time and increase accuracy for users of a Web site.
To define a default value, use the following syntax:
<input value=“value”>
value is the default text or number that is displayed in the field
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30. Defining a Default Value for a Field
If customers from countries other than the United States use this Web form,
they can remove the default value by selecting the text and pressing the Delete key.
default value
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31. Creating a Password Field
A password field is a text box in which the characters typed by the user are displayed as bullets or asterisks i.e. ****.
The syntax for creating a Password field is:
<input type=“password”>
Using a password field should not be confused with having a secure connection.
The password itself is not encrypted.
The password field only acts as a mask for a field entry as it is entered.
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32. Working with Form Labels
HTML allows you to formally link a label with an associated text element for scripting purposes.
The syntax for creating a form label is:
<label for=“id”>label text</label>
id is the value of the id attribute for a field on the form
label text is the text of the label
you must bind the label to the id attribute of the field and not the name attribute
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33. Working with Form Labels
Labels can simplify the data entry process by allowing a user to click on either the control element or the element’s label to enter data.
Labels allow users to write scripts to modify their content for interactive forms.
The <label> tag is part of the HTML 4.0 specifications, however, it is not currently supported by Netscape.
The Netscape browser, and versions of the Internet Explorer browser prior to 4.0, ignore the <label> tag, but still display the label text.
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34. Creating a Label for the fname Field
This figure shows a label for the fname field.
value of the id attribute for the first name field
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35. Creating a Selection List
A selection list is a list box from which a user selects a particular value or set of values.
Selection lists are good to use when there is a fixed set of possible responses.
Selection lists help prevent spelling mistakes and erroneous entries.
A selection list is created using the <select> tag.
The <option> tag is used to specify individual selection items.
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36. Creating a Selection List
items in the selection list
selection list field name
This figure shows HTML code for creating a selection list.
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37. Using a Selection List
Your selection list might look slightly different depending on the browser and browser version.
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38. Using the <select> and <option> Tags
The general syntax for the <select> and <option> tags is:
<select name=“name” id=“id”>
<option> item1
<option> item2 .
</select>
name and id attribute identify the selection field
each <option> tag represents an individual item in the selection list
the text in the selection list is indicated by the text in item1, item2, and so forth
The <option> tag is a one-sided tag.
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39. Modifying the Appearance of a Selection List
HTML provides several attributes to modify the appearance and behavior of selection lists and options.
By default, the <select> tag displays one option from the selection list, along with a list arrow to view additional selection options.
The number of options displayed can be modified with the size attribute.
The syntax of the size attribute is:
<select size=“value”>
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40. Modifying the Appearance of a Selection List Continued
value is the number of items that the selection list displays in the form
by specifying a value greater than 1, the selection list changes from a drop-down list box to a list box
if the size attribute is equal to the number of options in the selection list, the scroll bar is either not displayed or is dimmed
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41. Selection Lists with Different Size Values
This figure shows selection lists with different size values.
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42. Making Multiple Selections
When using multiple selections, users are not limited to a single selection from a selection list.
Adding the multiple attribute to the <select> tag allows multiple selections from a list.
The syntax for this attribute is:
<select multiple>
A common method to make multiple selections from a selection list is to hold down a specific key while making selections.
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43. Making Multiple Selections Continued
The Windows operating system, multiple selections can be made as follows:
for noncontiguous selections, press and hold the Ctrl key while you make your selections
for a contiguous selection, select the first item, press and hold the Shift key, and then select the last item in the range
Check and verify that the CGI scripts used are designed to handle multiple selection lists.
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44. Working with Option Values
By default, a form sends the values that are displayed in the selection list to the CGI script.
Instead of sending an entire text string, an abbreviation or code can be sent to the CGI script.
Specify the value that is sent to the CGI script with the value attribute.
Use the selected attribute to specify which item in the selection is selected, or highlighted, when the form is displayed.
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45. Working with Option Groups
The most recent releases of HTML allows you to organize selection lists into distinct groups called option groups.
The syntax for creating an option group is:
<optgroup label=“label”>
label is the label assigned to the option group
the text for the label appears in the selection list above each group of items but is not a selectable item from the list
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46. Option Groups
Internet Explorer and Netscape versions prior to 6.0 display
the selection list without the group labels.
a single option group
option group label
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47. Working with Radio Buttons
Radio buttons display a list of choices from which a user makes a selection.
Only one radio button can be selected at a time.
The syntax to create a radio button is:
<input type=“radio” name=“name” id=“id” value=“value”>
name identifies the field containing the radio button
id attribute identifies the specific option. Only required if you intend to use a field label with the radio button
value attribute indicates the value sent to the CGI script, if that radio button is selected by the user
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48. Working with Radio Buttons Continued
The name attribute must be included, because it groups distinct radio buttons together.
selecting one radio button in the group automatically deselects all of the other radio buttons in that group
Insert descriptive text next to the button.
Enclose text within a label tag to allow the user to select the radio button or label.
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49. Creating Radio Buttons
This figure shows an example of HTML code that creates radio buttons for party affiliations.
In this sample code, the value sent to the CGI script does not match the field label.
If the user selects the Republican radio button, the value “gop”
is sent to the CGI script paired with the field name “party.”
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50. Selection Lists vs. Radio Buttons
If you have a long list of options, use a selection list.
If you want to allow users to select more than one option, use a selection list with the multiple attribute.
If you have a short list of options, and only one option is allowed at a time, use radio buttons.
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51. Creating a Group Box
A group box labels an entire collection of radio buttons.
A group box is a box placed around a set of fields that indicates that they belong to a common group.
The syntax for creating a group box is:
<fieldset>
<legend align=“align”>legend text</legend>
collection of fields
</fieldset>
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52. Creating a Group Box Continued
the <legend> tag is used to display a legend on the group box
legend text specifies the text for that legend
the align attribute specifies where the legend is placed in the box
align values are “top” (the default), “bottom”, “left”, and “right”
browsers only support “top” and “right” options at this time
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53. Creating a Group Box and Legend
This figure shows an example of a group box applied to a set of radio buttons.
start of group box
group box legend
resulting radio buttons and group box
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54. Group Box Size
There is no attribute to control the size of a group box.
The box’s height will be large enough to accommodate the fields and labels in the field set.
The width is the width of whatever space remains on the Web page.
To set the width to a specific value use a table cell to place the group box and set the width of the cell.
group boxes cannot extend across table cells; all of the fields in the field set must be placed within a single cell
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55. Working with Check Boxes
A check box is either selected or not, there is only one check box per field.
Check boxes are created using the following syntax:
<input type=“checkbox” name=“name” id=“id” value=“value”>
name and id attribute identify the check box
the value attribute specifies the value that is sent to the CGI script when the check box is selected
The <input> tag for a check box does not display any text.
Check boxes are not selected by default.
to do this, add the checked attribute to the <input> tag
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56. Adding Check Boxes
This figure shows different check boxes. The user can click either the check box or the label associated with the check box to select and deselect.
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57. Group Boxes for Radio Buttons and Check Boxes
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58. Creating a Text Area
To create a larger text area for a text box, use the tag:
<textarea name=“name” id=“id” rows=“value” cols=“value”> default text </textarea>
rows and cols attributes define the dimensions of the text box
the rows attribute indicates the number of lines in the text box
Default text can be specified in the text box when the form is initially displayed.
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59. Creating a Text Area
This figure shows an example of a text area with default text.
The <textarea> tag is a two-sided tag, which means that it has an opening tag <textarea>, and a closing tag, </textarea>.
resulting text area
dimensions of text area
default text area text
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60. This figure shows the three possible wrap options.
Wrap Attribute Values
The text entered in a text area wraps to the next line when it exceeds the width of the box. To control how a browser wraps text to a new line use the wrap attribute.
This figure shows the three possible wrap options.
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61. The wrap Attribute for Text
Set the value of the wrap attribute to either “soft” or “hard” to allow text to wrap within the text box.
the “hard” setting preserves any line wrapping that takes place in the text box and the “soft” setting does not.
If no value for the wrap attribute is specified, a value of “soft” is used.
For comment fields, use the <textarea> tag with the wrap attribute set to “soft” so that the user’s comments wrap to the next line in the box.
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62. Comment Text Area
In this figure the text box includes a vertical scroll bar, so that a user can scroll to see the hidden text, if needed.
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63. Creating Form Buttons
Another type of control element is one that performs an action. In forms, this is usually done with a button.
Buttons can be clicked to:
run programs
submit forms
reset the form to its original state
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64. Creating a Push Button
One type of button, called a push button, is created using the <input> tag as follows:
<input type=“button” value=“text”>
text is the text that appears on the button
By themselves, push buttons perform no actions in the Web page.
To create an action, write a script or program that runs automatically when the button is clicked.
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65. Creating Submit and Reset Buttons
A submit button is a button that submits the form to the CGI script for processing.
A reset button resets the form to its original (default) values.
The syntax for creating these two buttons is:
<input type=“submit” value=“text”>
<input type=“reset” value=“text”>
value attribute defines the text that appears on the button
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66. The name and value Attributes
The name and value attributes can be used for push, submit, and reset buttons.
Use these attributes when the form contains multiple buttons and a program that processes the form needs to distinguish one button from another.
for example, a Web page advertising a shareware program might include three buttons:
one used to download the program
another used to retrieve information
the third to cancel the form
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67. Creating a Form Button
The figure shows HTML tags for buttons that download a program,
retrieves information, and resets the form to its original values.
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68. Creating Buttons with the <button> Tag
Buttons created with the <input> tag do not allow the Web page designer to control the appearance of the button.
For greater artistic control over the appearance of the button, use the <button> tag.
The syntax of the <button> tag is:
<button name=“name” value=“value” type=“option”>
button text and HTML tags
</button>
name attribute specifies the name of the button
value attribute sends to a CGI script
type attribute specifies the button type (submit, reset, or button)
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69. Using the <button> Tag
The figure shows how to create a button that contains formatted text and an inline image.
The default value for the type attribute is “button”. Within the <button> tags you can place whatever HTML tags you wish to format the button’s appearance. This includes inline images.
button image
the button type is a simple push button
contents of the button
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70. Creating File Buttons
A file button is used to select files so that their contents can be submitted for processing to a CGI script.
The contents of the file are not displayed--only the file’s location.
A programmer can then use that information to retrieve a file and use it for whatever purpose is required by the script.
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71. Using a File Button
The figure shows an example of using the file button to return the location of a file named “report.doc.”
1. User clicks the Browse button
2. Selects a file from the Choose File dialog box
3. The filename and location are automatically placed in the text box
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72. Creating Image Fields
Inline images can act like submit buttons, so that when the user clicks the image, the form is submitted.
The syntax for this type of control element is:
<input type=“image” src=“URL” name=“text” value=“text”>
URL is the filename and location of the inline image
name attribute assigns a name to the field
value attribute assigns a value to the image
When the form is submitted to the CGI script, the coordinates of where the user clicked are attached to the image’s name and value in the format: namex_coordinate, value.y_coordinate.
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73. Using an Image Control with a CGI Script
Once the CGI script receives data, the action it performs depends on whether the user clicked within the image.
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74. Working with Hidden Fields
A hidden field is added to the form but not displayed in the Web page.
Because the field is hidden, it can be placed anywhere between the opening and closing <form> tags.
The syntax for creating a hidden field is:
<input type=“hidden” name=“name” value=“value>
Place all hidden fields in one location to make it easier to read and interpret the HTML code.
Include a comment describing the purpose of the field.
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75. Adding a Hidden Field
This figure shows an example of the hidden field code.
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76. Working with Form Attributes
To specify where to send the form data and how to send it add the following attributes to the <form> tag:
<form action=“URL” method=“option” enctype=“text”>
URL specifies the filename and location of the CGI script that process the form
method attribute specifies how your Web browser sends data to the CGI script
enctype attribute specifies the format of the data stored in the form’s field
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77. The method Attribute
There are two possible values for the method attribute: “get” or “post”.
the “get” method (the default) packages the form data by appending it to the end of the URL specified in the action attribute
the “post” method sends form data in a separate data stream, allowing the Web server to receive the data through what is called “standard input”
the “post” method is considered the preferred way of sending data to a Web server
The “post” method is also safer, because some Web servers limit the amount of data sent via the “get” method and will truncate the URL, cutting off valuable information
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78. The enctype Attribute
The exact meaning of the enctype attribute is a technical issue.
The default enctype value is “application/x-www-form-urlencoded.”
Another enctype value that is often used is “multipart/form-data,” which allows the form to send files to the Web server along with any form data.
The most basic way of encoding data is to use “text/plain,” which encodes the data as simple text.
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79. Specifying Where and How to Send Form Data
This figure shows the CGI script that processes the form is located at the URL (a fictional address) and uses the “post” method.
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80. Form Values
The Web browser presents a page, an example of which is shown in this figure, displaying the name of each field in the form and the value assigned to it. At the same time, the CGI script formats a mail message to be sent to the address you entered.
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81. Using the “mailto” Action
Use the “mailto” action to send form information via without using a CGI script.
This action accesses the user’s own program and uses it to mail form information to a specified address, bypassing the need for using CGI scripts on a Web server.
The syntax of the “mailto” action is:
<form action=“mailto: _address” method=“post” enctype=“text/plain”>
_address is the address of the recipient of the form
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82. Using the “mailto” Action Continued
Not all browsers support the “mailto” action.
for example, versions of Internet Explorer earlier than 4.0 and Netscape Navigator 3.0 do not
Another concern is that messages sent via the “mailto” action are not encrypted for privacy.
The recipient’s address is revealed to the user.
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83. Mail Message Created Using the “mailto” Action
This figure shows an message that the “mailto” action generated for a registration form.
The format of the mail message may look different depending on the browser or software.
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84. Specifying the Tab Order
Users navigate through a Web form using the Tab key.
the Tab key moves the cursor from one field to another in the order that the field tags are entered.
Add the tabindex attribute to any control element in the form to specify the tab order.
With each element assigned a tab index number, the cursor moves through the fields from the lowest index number to the highest.
for example, to assign the tab index number “1” to the fname field, enter the code: <input name=“fname” tabindex=“1”>
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85. Tab Order and Browsers
Browsers that do not support the tab order feature simply ignores the tabindex attribute and continues to tab to the fields in the order that they appear in the HTML code.
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86. Specifying an Access Key
An access key is a single key that you type in conjunction with the Alt key for Windows users or the Command key for Macintosh users, to jump to one of the control elements in the form.
Add the accesskey attribute to any of the control elements to create an access key.
To create an access key for the lname field, enter the following code: <input name=“lname” accesskey=“1”>
if a user types Alt+l (or Command+1 for Macintosh users), the control element for the lname field is selected
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87. Specifying an Access Key Continued
Use letters that are not reserved by the browser.
for example, Alt_f is used by Internet Explorer to access the File menu
When an access key is used, provide some visual clue about the key’s existence.
the accepted method is to underline the character corresponding to the access key. For example, “Last Name”
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88. Tutorial 6 Summary Worked with Web page forms. Overview of scripts.
CGI scripts.
Created simple input boxes.
Worked with properties.
Controlled the appearance of input boxes.
Worked with Web form elements and components.
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89. Tutorial 6 Summary Continued
Controlled the appearance and behavior of various elements.
Examined form buttons, form images and hidden fields.
Focused on how information is transferred from the Web page form to the CGI script.
Worked with various form actions and methods.
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