Fundamentals of Web System & Technologies - Lab Exercise 5

HTML Forms
Entering User Data from a Web Page

 Forms are the primary method for gathering data from site visitors

 Create a form block with

<form></form>

 The “method" attribute tells how the form data should be sent – via GET or POST
request

 The "action" attribute tells where the form data should be sent

<form name="myForm" method="post"

action="path/to/some-script.php">

...

</form>

 Single-line text input fields:

 Multi-line textarea fields:

<textarea name="Comments">This is a multi-line text field</textarea>

 Hidden fields contain data not shown to the user:

<input type="hidden" name="Account" value="This is a hidden text field" />

 Often used by JavaScript code

 Fieldsets are used to enclose a group of related form fields:

<form method="post" action="form.aspx">

<fieldset>

<legend>Client Details</legend>

<input type="text" id="Name" />

<input type="text" id="Phone" />

</fieldset>

<fieldset>

<legend>Order Details</legend>

<input type="text" id="Quantity" />

<textarea cols="40" rows="10"

</fieldset>

</form>

 The <legend> is the fieldset's title.

 Checkboxes:

<input type="checkbox" name="fruit" value="apple" />

 Radio buttons:

<input type="radio" name="title" value="Mr." />

 Radio buttons can be grouped, allowing only one to be selected from a group:
 <input type="radio" name="city" value="Lom" />

<input type="radio" name="city" value="Ruse" />

 Dropdown menus:

<select name="gender">

<option value="Value 1"

<selected="selected">Male</option>

<option value="Value 2">Female</option>

<option value="Value 3">Other</option>

</select>

 Submit button:

<input type="submit" name="submitBtn" value="Apply Now" />

 Reset button – brings the form to its initial state

<input type="reset" name="resetBtn" value="Reset the form" />

 Image button – acts like submit but image is displayed and click coordinates are sent

<input type="image" src="submit.gif" name="submitBtn" alt="Submit" />

 Ordinary button – used for Javascript, no default action

<input type="button" value="click me" />

 Password input – a text field which masks the entered text with * signs

<input type="password" name="pass" />

 Multiple select field – displays the list of items in multiple lines, instead of one

<select name="products" multiple="multiple">

<option value="Value 1"

<selected="selected">keyboard</option>

<option value="Value 2">mouse</option>

<option value="Value 3">speakers</option>

</select>
 File input – a field used for uploading files

<input type="file" name="photo" />

 When used, it requires the form element to have a specific attribute:

<form enctype="multipart/form-data">

...

<input type="file" name="photo" />

...

</form>

 Form labels are used to associate an explanatory text to a form field using the field's ID.

<label for="fn">First Name</label>

<input type="text" id="fn" />

 Clicking on a label focuses its associated field (checkboxes are toggled, radio buttons are
checked)

 Labels are both a usability and accessibility feature and are required in order to pass
accessibility validation.

<form method="post" action="apply-now.php">

<input name="subject" type="hidden" value="Class" />

<fieldset><legend>Academic information</legend>

<label for="degree">Degree</label>

<select name="degree" id="degree">

<option value="BA">Bachelor of Art</option>

<option value="BS">Bachelor of Science</option>

<option value="MBA" selected="selected">Master of

Business Administration</option>

</select>

<br />
 <label for="studentid">Student ID</label>

<input type="password" name="studentid" />

</fieldset>

<fieldset><legend>Personal Details</legend>

<label for="fname">First Name</label>

<input type="text" name="fname" id="fname" />

<br />

<label for="lname">Last Name</label>

<input type="text" name="lname" id="lname" />

<br />

Gender:

<input name="gender" type="radio" id="gm" value="m" />

<label for="gm">Male</label>

<input name="gender" type="radio" id="gf" value="f" />

<label for="gf">Female</label>

<br />

<label for="email">Email</label>

<input type="text" name="email" id="email" />

</fieldset>

<p>

<textarea name="terms" cols="30" rows="4"

readonly="readonly">TERMS AND CONDITIONS...</textarea>

</p>

<p>

<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Send Form" />

<input type="reset" value="Clear Form" />

</form>