1. Miro Remias Solution architect Kentico software mirekr@kentico.com
Form Engine
Miro Remias
Solution architect
Kentico software

2. Agenda Introduction How does it work? Architecture (API, database)
Customization options
Code examples

3. Introduction
Allows users to create forms and manage data (insert/update)
Built-in and custom form controls
Input validation
Custom form layout (Alternative forms)
Where can you find examples of form engine?
On-line forms (BizForm)
Forms for documents (CMSForm)
Forms for web-part properties (BasicForm)
Forms for system tables (DataForm)
Forms for custom tables (CustomTableForm)

4. How does it work? Field editor Form Form definition Data
Field editor - \CMSModules\AdminControls\Controls\Class\FieldEditor.ascx

5. Architecture – overview
Database tables:
CMS_Class
ClassFormDefinition – form definition (Example 1)
ClassTableName – table where data is stored
ClassIsCustomTable, ClassShowAsSystemTable – custom table/system table flag
ClassFormLayout – form layout …
CMS_AlternativeForm
FormDefinition
FormLayout
CMS_Form
CMS_FormUserControl
API support (
CMS.FormControls: BasicForm, BizForm, CMSForm, CustomTableForm, DataForm, FormEngineUserControl, EditingFormControl …
CMS.FormEngine: FormInfo, FormFieldInfo, AlternativeFormInfo, AlternativeFormInfoProvider, BizFormInfo, BizFormInfoProvider …

6. Architecture - BasicForm
Renders form from it’s definition
Creates form layout with labels, fields, error labels, categories, …
Manages field initialization, validation and gathers entered data
Form error label
Field category
Field label
Field error label
BizForm
CMSForm
DataForm
CustomTableForm
Form control
Submit button (image)
BasicForm

7. Architecture - BasicForm (2)
BasicForm (API) (Example 2)
Properties:
Mode (FormModeEnum - Insert, Update, InsertNewCultureVersion)
FormInformation (FormInfo)
FormLayout (string)
FormXML (string)
DataRow (DataRow)
FieldLabels (Hashtable)
FieldControls (Hashtable)
FieldEditingControls (Hashtable)
FieldErrorLabels (Hashtable)
SiteName (string)
SubmitButton (Button)
SubmitImageButton (ImageButton)
UseColonBehindLabel (bool)
EditedObject (object)
TreeNode (CMSForm)
IDataClass (BizForm and CustomTableForm)
AbstractInfo or DataClassInfo (DataForm)
ParentObject (object) - insert mode, TreeNode
AllowMacroEditing (bool)
DefaultFormLayout (FormLayoutEnum)
RenderCategoryList (bool)
MarkRequiredFields (bool)
Methods:
LoadData(void: DataRow)
LoadFormLayout(void: formLayout, FormInfo)
LoadDefaultLayout(void: FormInfo )
CreateEditingFormControl(Control: FormFieldInfo)
SaveData(void: redirectUrlAfterSave)
ValidateData(bool)

8. Architecture - Form layout
Supported macro types in form layout:
$$label:<FieldName>$$
$$input:<FieldName>$$
$$validation:<FieldName>$$
$$visibility: <FieldName>$$
$$submitbutton$$

9. Architecture - Form controls
Allow you to use custom field types in editing forms (
Register in Site Manager -> Development -> Form controls
FormFieldInfo (API)
Name (column)
Caption (fieldcaption)
Visible (visible)
Enabled (enabled)
AllowEmpty (allowempty)
PrimaryKey (isPK) …
DataType (columntype) -FormFieldDataTypeEnum (Text, LongText, Integer, Decimal, DateTime, Boolean, File, GUID ... )
FieldType (fieldtype) - FormFieldControlTypeEnum (LabelControl, TextBoxControl, DropDownListControl, RadioButtonsControl, MultipleChoiceControl, ...)
ClassFormDefinition (CMS_Class table):
<form>
<field column="ContactUsID" fieldcaption="ContactUsID" visible="false" columntype="integer" fieldtype="label" allowempty="false" isPK="true" system="true" publicfield="false" spellcheck="true" guid="ba75b40f-edf6-434f-aa19-15ea8413e407" visibility="none" ismacro="false" />
...
<field column=" " fieldcaption=" " visible="true" columntype="text" fieldtype="usercontrol" allowempty="false" isPK="false" system="false" columnsize="100" publicfield="true" spellcheck="true" guid="877dc b c aa">
<settings>
<controlname> input</controlname>
</settings>
</field>
</form>

10. Architecture - Form controls (2)
FormEngineUserControl (API) (Example 3)
Properties:
Form (BasicForm)
FieldInfo (FormFieldInfo)
FormControlParameter (object)
Value (object)
Enabled (bool)
DataDR (DataRow)
Methods:
IsValid (bool)
GetOtherValues (object[,] AttributeName/Value)
Working with other fields from form control:
TextBox txtBox = (TextBox) Form.FieldControls["productprice"];
EditingFormControl (API)
DataRow (DataRow)
IsMacro (bool)
DataRowValue (object)
CreateControl(Control : FormFieldInfo)
EditingFormControl txtBox = (EditingFormControl) Form.FieldEditingControls["productprice"];

11. Architecture – CMSForm
Creation and editing of documents
Adds ‘Publish from/to’ and ‘Document name’ fields (optional)
Handles content tree hierarchy for blogs (insert mode)
Uploaded files stored in DB and/or file system as an attachments
CMSForm (API) (Example 4)
Properties:
BasicForm (BasicForm)
NodeId (int)
FormName (string) - cms.news.default
AlternativeFormFullName (string) – cms.user.editform
FormMode (FormModeEnum - Insert, Update, InsertNewCultureVersion)
SiteName (string)
CultureCode (string)
Methods:
LoadForm(void)
Save (TreeNode)
SaveDataToDB(void)

12. Architecture – CMSForm (2)
CMSForm life cycle - first load:
Page
CMSForm
BasicForm
EditingFormControl
TextBoxControl
OnInit
OnLoad
OnPreRender
CreateChildControls
LoadForm
[Controls.Add(BasicForm)]
OnLoad (EnsureChildControls)
LoadData
Addition of one EFC
[Controls.Add(EFC)]
EnsureControls (EnsureChildControls)
{SetValue}
[Controls.Add(FC)]
Page_Load

13. Architecture – CMSForm (3)
CMSForm life cycle - postback:
Page
CMSForm
BasicForm
EditingFormControl
TextBoxControl
OnInit
CreateChildControls
LoadForm
[Controls.Add(BasicForm)]
LoadData
Addition of one EFC
[Controls.Add(EFC)]
EnsureControls (EnsureChildControls)
{SetValue}
[Controls.Add(FC)]
OnLoad
Page_Load
btnSave_Click
ValidateData
{GetValue}
IsValid
Save
SaveData
SaveDataToDB
OnPreRender

14. Architecture – BizForm
Used for online form creation (most frequently used module)
Data stored in separate DB table (also CMS_Form)
Uploaded files stored in file system (exclusively)
Data managed through the UI, could be sent via (notification and auto-responder) or exported to MS Excel file (
BizForm(API) (example)
Properties:
BasicForm (BasicForm)
FormMode (FormModeEnum - Insert, Update)
FormName (string) - bizfrom.contactus.default
ItemID (int)
AlternativeFormFullName (string) – bizfrom.contactus.layout1
SiteName (string)
UseColonBehindLabel (bool)
EnableNotification (bool)
EnableAutoresponder (bool)
Methods:
LoadForm(void)
SaveDataToDB(void)
SendNotification (void)
SendConfirmation (void)

15. Architecture – DataForm and CustomTableForm
common form controls to edit data from system/custom tables (
uploaded files stored in file system
DataForm / CustomTableForm (API) (Example 5)
Properties:
BasicForm (BasicForm)
ClassName (string)
ItemID (int)
CustomTableId (int)
Info (AbstractInfo) - usable instead of ClassName and ItemID
AlternativeFormFullName (string) – cms.user.editform
FormMode (FormModeEnum - Insert, Update)
SiteName (string)
Methods:
ReloadData (void)
LoadForm(void)
Save (bool) + OnAferSave handler
SaveDataToDB(void)

16. Customization options
Control event handlers ():
OnBefore(After)DataLoad, OnBefore(After)Validate, OnBefore(After)Save, OnValidationFailed, OnItemValidation, OnUploadFile, OnDeleteFile, …
Global data handlers (
OnBefore(After)Update, OnBefore(After)Insert, OnBefore(After)Delete, OnGetContent
Custom Field (Form) controls

17. ? Questions FAQ – http://devnet.kentico.com/FAQs.aspx
KB -
Documentation -
Technical support -

18. Thank you! Miro Remias mirekr@kentico.com Solution architect
Kentico software