Forms overview

Forms overview

Forms let you collect information from users. Common uses for forms include surveys, order forms, and search interfaces.

To work, forms require two components: the HTML describing the form and a server-side application to process the collected information. When the user completes the form (usually by clicking a Submit button), the collected information and the name of the processing application are sent to the server. The server activates the named application and passes it the collected information. The server-side application is generally a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script, but the application can also be a Java applet or a JavaScript. Dreamweaver includes an example form and CGI script in the Techniques folder.

Your Dreamweaver forms can include the following types of standard objects:

Text fields accept any type of text, alpha or numeric. The entered text can be displayed as a single line, multiple lines, or as asterisks or dots (for password protection). See Text field properties.

Buttons perform standard tasks such as submitting or resetting forms, or perform a custom function. You can enter a custom label for a button, or use one of the predefined labels. See Button properties.

Image fields can be used in place of submit buttons. See Image field properties.

Check boxes allow for multiple responses in a single group. See Check box properties.

Radio buttons represent exclusive choices. Selecting a button within a group deselects all others in the group. See Radio button properties.

List menus list a set of values from which users can choose. The object can be a pop-up menu, in which values in the list appear only when you click the object (for a single response), or a list box that always displays the values in a scrolling list (for multiple responses). See List menu properties.

File fields let users browse to files on their hard drives and upload them as form data. See File field properties.

Hidden fields let you store information (such as the recipient of form data or the subject of the form) that is not relevant to the user but which will be used by the application that processes the form. See Hidden field properties.

Dreamweaver also supports input types that it doesn't recognize by displaying generic field properties in the Property inspector. See Generic field properties.

	Text fields accept any type of text, alpha or numeric. The entered text can be displayed as a single line, multiple lines, or as asterisks or dots (for password protection). See Text field properties.
	Buttons perform standard tasks such as submitting or resetting forms, or perform a custom function. You can enter a custom label for a button, or use one of the predefined labels. See Button properties.
	Image fields can be used in place of submit buttons. See Image field properties.
	Check boxes allow for multiple responses in a single group. See Check box properties.
	Radio buttons represent exclusive choices. Selecting a button within a group deselects all others in the group. See Radio button properties.
	List menus list a set of values from which users can choose. The object can be a pop-up menu, in which values in the list appear only when you click the object (for a single response), or a list box that always displays the values in a scrolling list (for multiple responses). See List menu properties.
	File fields let users browse to files on their hard drives and upload them as form data. See File field properties.
	Hidden fields let you store information (such as the recipient of form data or the subject of the form) that is not relevant to the user but which will be used by the application that processes the form. See Hidden field properties.