| There is practically no website without at least a | | | | · Checkboxes |
| form in one of its pages. Forms are useful to collect | | | | · Buttons |
| data from the website visitors and users. Once the | | | | · HiddenThe hidden fields are used to send |
| user submits the form to the server, a form | | | | some data that the user does not need to see, along |
| processing script must get the form data, validate | | | | with the form. An example of this could be a form |
| that the user input matches the expected format for | | | | number, so the form processing script identifies which |
| each field (e.g: email address field must be a string of | | | | form has been submitted.The File field allows users to |
| text with the format of a valid email address) and | | | | upload a file. The form processing script will get the |
| process this information as desired. The script may | | | | file together with the rest of the form data. For this |
| save it into a database, send it by email or just do | | | | field to work properly, you need to include this |
| some processing with it and display the result. | | | | attribute in the tag: enctype="multipart |
| Validating the user input is essential to prevent | | | | form-data".Buttons are used to submit or reset the |
| malicious users from damaging your site.A form | | | | form.Refer to an HTML guide for full description on |
| definition in html starts with the form tag and ends | | | | the attributes and syntax of each tag. You may find |
| with the /form tag. This tag can have several | | | | a guide at or at among many other sites.When the |
| attributes like method (GET or POST), and action | | | | form is complex, it is useful to group fields in areas |
| (the url of the form processing script). If use the | | | | using the fieldset tag. Just place the fieldset tag, then |
| GET method, the form data is encoded in the action | | | | optionally a legend Section Name /legend tag, then all |
| URL. This method is recommended when the form is | | | | the pertinent form fields, and the /fieldset tag after |
| a query form. With the POST method, the form data | | | | them.It is possible to use CSS (Cascading Style |
| is to appear within a message body. This is the | | | | Sheets) or inline styles to change the look of the |
| recommended method when the form will be used | | | | form controls.You can bring your forms to a different |
| to update a database, or send email, or make any | | | | level by combining them with the usage of scripting |
| action other than just retrieve data.The form fields | | | | language like JavaScript. You can make the form |
| are used to collect the data. Generally a label is | | | | react immediately to certain events, like the user |
| placed by each field, so the user knows what data | | | | clicking on a control, or a field changing its value. You |
| to input. There are different kind of fields, among | | | | can highlight the field that has the focus, for example. |
| them:· Textboxes | | | | Or count how many characters have been entered in |
| · Textareas | | | | a text box or a textarea. You can make calculations |
| · Drop-downs | | | | and display the results automatically. The possibilities |
| · Multi select | | | | are endless.Sergio Roth is an experienced freelance |
| · File | | | | web programmer. |
| · Radio buttons | | | | |