Creating Web Documents XHTML Project II topics should be posted Start Forms Homework: Forms not required for midterm or project 2. At some point, read about them in HTML text

eXtended HTML Cleaned up form that is legal XML. Refer to the doctype for HTML: Use quotation marks around all attributes. Use lower case for HTML tags (e.g., ) Singleton tags need ending: Must be well-formatted: all tags that come in pairs must be paired: …… AND properly nested. NOT Italic and bold

Forms Forms used for structured information from visitor to your site to you. (Unstructured info, use open-ended Send questions to me ) Forms can be handled by cgi (common gateway interface) scripts on server, JavaScript, combination of JavaScript & Active Server Pages or PHP or Cold Fusion (all termed middleware) OR sent via

Form structure In-between, use different form elements + ordinary HTML –Text, textarea, radio, checkboxes, select & options, other Include some form of submit button that causes the action to be taken. Also can include a reset button

General attributes of form element <input type=one of several possibilities, for example: text name= names this item for action. Also used for grouping (for example, radio buttons) value= has different functions depending on the type Some types can be nested: for example, select & options Certain types have other attributes/parameters, for example, size= gives number of lines in a select tag >

Begin exercise Open NotePad and type in HTML ‘boilerplate’ Form example Address Information

First Name: Last Name: Street Address: Town/City: State: New York New Jersey Connecticut Pennsylvania Status: Returning client New client Thank you Change this to your id Default is NY. Same name makes it one radio group

Exercise Save as formtest.html Load page and enter data. WILL PROBABLY NOT WORK IN COMPUTER LAB! Then go to your address and see what you get.

Preview Will do more with forms using JavaScript –Also Creating Dynamic Web Documents. cgi = common gateway interface = rules for writing server programs that take information which HTML and often produce new pages. –is beyond this course. However, you can get scripts on- line and customize them. The more difficult part may be getting the owners of the server to store your cgi script. Spring, 2004: Creating Databases for the Web, will introduce middleware ASP and PHP.

Homework If you haven’t posted your topic for Project II, do so. It will count off if this isn’t done today! See me! Work on Project II! –Remember purpose & audience –Use (appropriately) links, lists, images, fonts, colors, frames, tables, image maps or image slicing, animation Read on Forms, HTML text. Start JavaScript next.