Creating Forms Using Microsoft FrontPage

A form is a group of entry blanks or fields on a web page that you can use to gather information from your site visitors. In addition to fields, a form can contain text, formatting, tables, images, and any other objects that can be inserted on a page.

Before beginning, decide

• What type of information you want
• Why you want it
• How you want users to provide it

By planning, you can avoid frustrating users with pointless questions, as well as define limited and specific options to create consistency when compiling your results. Additionally, it is helpful to explain to visitors why providing the form information is in their interest. For example, explain to visitors who fill out a survey how their input will be used.

Creating a Form

1. Go to Insert, Form, One-Line Text Box
2. Verify the insertion point is before the submit button and go to Table, Insert, Table
3. Insert a 4X2 table. (You may add rows and columns as you add form fields by choosing Table, Insert, Rows or Columns).
4. Notice the form expanded to include the table -- everything added to the form MUST be inside the dotted lines
   
5. In the left-hand column, type labels for each field requiring data entry. (Name and Class)
6. In the right-hand column, insert data entry fields, by going to Insert, Form, One-Line Text box. Make sure your insertion point is where you want the data to be entered.
   
7. Using the Floating Menu bar makes it much easier to add fields when creating a form. To detach the form menu, select Insert, Form and then move the cursor to the gray stripe at the top of the submenu. The tip "Drag to make this menu float" appears.
   

Form Field Properties

All field types have properties that should be changed from the default setting. Right-click anywhere on the field and choose Form Field properties to modify the information. Each field type has a different Properties dialog box depending upon the properties that may be defined.

Name should be labeled with the text you wish to appear when your forms results are processed and displayed. Spaces are not permitted.

Initial value is usually left blank on text boxes

You can change the Width to accommodate larger or smaller fields. The value is adjusted automatically when you change the size of the text box using the mouse. This does not limit the amount of text that can be entered – just the amount of text that will display.

The default Tab Order is the order the fields appear on the screen. To change the tab order, enter a number in a series.

If Yes is chosen for the Password field, when users enter information, it will appear as asterisks on the screen. This creates minimal security, as this does not encrypt information being sent to the server.

Once the form has been created, you can add other types of form fields These include:

• Radio Buttons
• Check Boxes
• Scrolling Text Boxes
• Drop-Down Menus
• Push Buttons

Create a Radio Button

Radio buttons are normally used when a choice is available.

At the insertion point (in the right-hand column), Go to Insert, Form, Radio Button

Enter labels in the left-hand column. Type Mac and PC

To change properties, click on the radio button to choose it, right-click and choose Form Field Properties

Radio Button Properties

Group name must be filled in if you have more than one group of radio buttons. Give each button that should be grouped together the same name. The common group name ensures that only one of the radio buttons within the group can be selected.

For example, if you wanted to give users the option to choose the type of platform, as well as the type of payment, you need to label the radio buttons differently. Mac and PC will be labeled Platform. Check, Credit and Cash will all have the Group name Payment Type.

Value will default to V followed by a number. This is what will appear in the results of your form. You should type in a more meaningful word(s) as this is what will appear in your results (excel file, e-mail, etc.)

Validating Radio Button Input

You can use radio button validation to require users to select an option.

Check the Data Required checkbox to require that users select one of the radio buttons in a grouping. Checking this option for one of the buttons in the group activates it for all buttons in a group.

In Display name, type in the message you would like to appear to prompt the user to select an option. This will appear when a user tries to submit the form information without selecting an option.

Create a Checkbox

Checkboxes are used for simple Yes/No input. Checking one box does not necessarily restrict checking another box within the same group. This is the main difference between checkboxes and radio buttons. Radio buttons are exclusive, which means users can select only one radio button within a group.

Type the labels; Other Courses of Interest:, Office Products, Desktop Publishing, and Programming Languages in the left-hand column.

Insert check boxes next to each label in the right-hand column by choosing Insert, Form, Check Box or choose the icon from the floating menu bar.

 

Right-click on each checkbox to choose Form Field Properties and choose the desired options. (Please refer to Radio Button Properties in the previous section.)

Create a Scrolling Text Box

Scrolling text boxes are used for data input longer than a few words. Typically, a scrolling text box is used when a paragraph or text is called for, such as comments or messages.

To create a Scrolling Text Box, go to Insert, Form, Scrolling Text Box.

Resize the text box by dragging any of the eight corners or side handles that appear when the box is selected.

Right-click anywhere on the text box to access the Text Box Properties dialog box.

Create a Drop-Down Menu

Drop-down menus are similar to check boxes and radio buttons in that they allow the user to make choices from a group. The difference is mainly in the appearance of the form field.

Most often, drop-down menus enable a user to select one option, but they can be defined so more than one option can be chosen from the list.

Type the label, Favorite Form Field in the left-hand column

To create the drop-down menu, go to Insert, Form, Drop-down Menu. Make sure the cursor is placed in the right-hand column where you want the drop-down menu to appear.

To add options to your drop-down menu, click on the Add button in the Drop-Down Menu Properties dialog box.

The Name field is used internally when the form is processed. Type in a name that will be meaningful to you as you collect and compile data.

Type in the text as you want it to appear in your menu in the Choice text box.

Click on OK when done entering information.

Once an option has been added, you may choose the Modify or Remove buttons to make changes.

Directing Form Output

With FrontPage, you can display results in a data file, display results on a web page, send forms via e-mail and create confirmation pages. All of these options are available using the Form Properties dialog box.

Click on Send To: to send the results either to a file or an e-mail address.

To Send your Form Results to a File

All FrontPage forms are configured to send results to a text file. This file records each field name and value in a comma-separated format. Generally speaking, storing form results in some kind of a file is a good idea, if only for the purpose of logging activity to the form. You can use the e-mail feature in combination with saving the results to a file if the results require an e-mail response or if you want to be alerted every time the form is submitted.

Click on Options to change the format or destination of the file.

Sending Form Results via E-mail

Assuming that Frontpage server extensions have been configured for your mail, sending results to an e-mail address is quite simple.

Go to Form Properties by right-clicking anywhere in your form.

Type the e-mail address of the recipient in the E-mail Address field.

Click on the Options button and select the E-mail Results tab to specify e-mail options.