Forms: Introduction
- Intro. to Forms
- Using Forms
- FORM Tags
- INPUT Tag
- SUBMIT & RESET
- TEXTAREA
- CHECKBOX
- RADIO
- SELECT
- Field LABEL
- PHP Variables
What is a form?
A web form is equivalent to all kinds of paper forms used in life, such as the feedback form.
A form consists of three basic HTML tags:
FORM, INPUT, and TEXTAREA.
The FORM tag defines the ACTION to be taken when the form is completed, using a program or CGI script to process the data.
Usually you'll have a box where you can type in appropriate text, maybe mark a checkbox, and then click some buttons; these are all INPUT fields.
When you are presented with a multiple line box where you can enter a block of text, this is a TEXTAREA field.
Can I create my own forms?
Anyone who has some experience with HTML is capable of creating his/her own form. The tags or commands for creating the forms are explained in this tutorial. The difficult part is the name of program to use in the ACTION parameter.
Most of the users do not have the capability of writing, or sometimes even using, their own programs. For this case, the users need to find a suitable program and ask the author of the program, or server supporting it, for permission to use it.
Your ISP will usually have help files available that describe the services and scripts that you can use in developing your site. This is a very good place to start when trying to determine what is possible for your site.
Sample Form:
This form will not actually submit anything, but it does illustrate what a basic form might look like.
