Chapter 14: Working with Forms

Overview

10-Second Summary

• Jump-start Web form creation with FrontPage templates and wizards

• Create List Forms that enable your coworkers to share information

• Create text boxes, file upload controls, check boxes, and other

• elements that help users fill out forms

• Help users choose from a list by creating drop-down boxes

• Enable users to send you information by creating push buttons

• Store form results in the right format and location so you can

• interpret the information you receive

Forms add a new level of interactivity to a Web site. They turn a Web site from a one-way to a two-way communication medium. Usually, Web surfers find out about you when they visit your site; you don t learn too much about who they are, unless you give them a form to fill out.

The ability to help users create forms that actually work has always been one of FrontPage s strongest features. Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 not only streamlines the process of creating the data entry part of a form ”the text boxes, buttons, and other elements that the user fills out ”but it also provides the computer programs that process the information someone sends you, and presents it in a form you can read and use, such as an e-mail message.

In this chapter, you learn how forms work, and about the individual elements that the user sees. You learn about the different options for creating forms, starting with how to use the shortcut methods , the templates and wizards. You get detailed instructions on creating individual parts of a form. Then, you learn about the options FrontPage gives you for processing the information you receive from your visitors , or (if you create an e-commerce Web site) your customers.