TIP 192: Creating a Form Inventory

Depending on how your hosting provider sets up its form-to-email solution, you might need a little configuration file that lists all the fields in the form. Instead of retyping all these by hand, select the form and click the Inventory button in the Form Inspector to open the Form Inventory dialog (Figure 192). Click the top Export button to export the form element names to a text file and click OK when you're done.

Figure 192. Export all the field names with the Form Inventory dialog.

Field Validator Action

For simple forms you can use the Filed Validator Action to ensure that the form is submitted according to your specifications. To use it, select the small form icon on the form container and then in the Actions palette, scroll down the events list to Form Submit. Select it and add an action. Next choose FieldValidator from the Getters list and set the options for the field that you want to validate. You can add as many instances of the Field Validator as you need in order to ensure all the fields are correctly submitted.

There are also a few key form-related Actions and extensions you should know about:

• Form Element Extractor: For an even better form inventory, check out this free extension from Ken Martin at www.kpmartin.com/Downloads/.

• Smart Forms: Save yourself tons of time creating repetitive form elements with this free extension (see Tip 193).

• VerifyForm: Use this powerful commercial Action to verify and reformat form data before your visitors click the Submit button (see Tip 249).