1. + FORMS HTML forms are used to pass data to a server. begins and ends a form Forms are made up of input elements Every input element has a name and value name = reflects the information you are collecting from the visitor name=“email” value = what the visitor types in sarah@gmail.com

2. + FORMS  when a visitor fills out a form field and hits the submit button, the browser transmits each form element as a name/value pair: email=sarah@gmail.com this info is passed to the server to be processed by a server side script (usually by PHP, Java or Perl) don’t need to know (much) PHP/Java/Perl to create a form

3. + FORMS | INPUT TYPES text field: password: text area: radio-buttons: checkbox: select menu: submit button:

4. + FORMS | OPENING TAG  Action : determines which page on the server holds the code that will process the form  Method : determines how the data is passed to the server post : causes it to be passed invisibly in the http header get : causes it to be passed in the URL string

5. + FORMS | INPUT TAG MAKE-UP Label tag : pairs a label with an input ID using for=“...” type=“text”: the input element for single line of text id=“user_name” : associates the input with appropriate label name=“user_name” : used as the name part of the name/value pair size=“18” : determines how much text is visible, and therefore the width of the box maxlength=“36” : determines the maximum number of characters can be entered tabindex=“1” : determines the tabbing order when navigated by user keyboard

6. + FORMS | PASSWORD & DESCRIPTION type=“password”: the input element for a password  Single line field  User-typed text appears on-screen as row of dots

7. + FORMS | PASSWORD & DESCRIPTION textarea: multi-line text field (rather than input type) Rows and cols define height and width by characters (overflow scrolls automatically)

8. + FORMS | RADIO BUTTONS type=“radio”: the input element for a radio button User can only pick one Group of radio buttons has same name (radioset), different values (Choice_1, Choice_2) Checked attribute allows you to make a button pre-selected

9. + FORMS | CHECKBOX type=“checkbox”: the input element for a check box User can pick multiple options Group of checkboxes has same name (checkset), different values (1,2,3)

10. + FORMS | SELECT select tag: the input element for a drop down menu (rather than input) option tags specify the drop down options

11. + FORMS | SUBMIT type=“submit”: the input element for a submit button value attribute determines text that appears inside button can also use your own image instead of default button Closing form tag to end the form

12. + FORMS | PROCESSING PHP Sending a form’s results to email: create a.php file in Dreamweaver save it as the name used in action=“” at start of form direct page to … once form is submitted email results to …

13. + FORMS | PROCESSING PHP Wufoo.com Pre-built forms with data storing systems Excellent for use with storing and organizing form data Free for use with 3 forms, 100 entries/month Customizable CSS