Learning to do Forms

[dthomsen8]

If someone is learning to do forms, but doesn't publish the HTML, is there an easy way to test the form and its output? For example, can the information entered go into a sequential file?

[gary]

You can view the form just by browsing the HTML file, but to test clicking the "submit" button (or associated javascript) you need a webserver to accept the GET/POST request. Furthermore, note that the browser will *expect* a response from the submit.

[Daudio]

is there an easy way to test the form and its output?

I would think that using the 'formmail' cgi program would be an easy way to see the output of your form. Perhaps you could modify the code to echo the names of the variables as well as their values to make it more of a diagnostic tool.

But to do anymore then use an existing program, you will have to do some coding in something like PHP, PERL, or whatever...

It's likely that there is a script out 'there' that will fit your needs. Happy searching.

[dthomsen8]

Originally Posted by Daudio

I would think that using the 'formmail' cgi program would be an easy way to see the output of your form. Perhaps you could modify the code to echo the names of the variables as well as their values to make it more of a diagnostic tool.

But to do anymore then use an existing program, you will have to do some coding in something like PHP, PERL, or whatever...

It's likely that there is a script out 'there' that will fit your needs. Happy searching.

Try this URL:

http://www.19121.com/cis230.htm

You will see how entering the data and doing the submit provides immediate results to the user. The results are transferred with parameters in the URL, so the HTML could be executed with the browser in Dreamweaver, instead of through the published web site.

Notice how the absolute address with HTTP is in the code, to send the results through my web site. This technique depends on using the "GET" method, but it has the advantage of not requiring publishing the student's work. The students don't know any PHP or PERL, so the objective was to find a way to provide results which show that their HTML is correct, generated with Dreamweaver MX 2004, without publishing and without coding in another language.

[donmcc]

Well, if you have a server on your machine, you can view the page using the localhost: address, and then you will be able to deal with your form variables in the program of your choice.

Also, Javascript can read form variables that are sent from one page to another. Sorry, but I don't have any site references.