Form Templates | Category Tables |
---|---|
defined in topics | defined in templates |
many forms per web | one table per web |
saved as Meta Data | saved as HTML |
Change & Add Form buttons | UseCategory radio button |
**twikicatitems.tmpl**
. The replacement Form Template must be set as the first item in the [[WebPreferences]] variable `WEBFORMS`. If missing, pages will display, but attempting to edit results in an error message.
The new Form Template system should work with old Category Table data with no special conversion. Data is assigned to Meta variables the first time an imported topic is edited and saved in the new system.
%T% **NOTE:** If things aren't working correctly, there may be useful entries in `data/warning.txt`.
## Defining a Form Template
A Form Template is simply a page containing your form, defined as a table where each row is one form field.
### Form Template Elements
- **form template** - a set of fields defining a form (replaces _category table definition_)
- A web can use one or more form templates
- **form** - a topic containing additional meta data (besides the freeform TEXTAREA) that categorizes the content (replaces _category table_)
- Within a form-enabled web, individual topics can have a form or no form
- **form field** - a named item in a form (replaces _category item name_)
- **field type** - selects the INPUT type:
- **select** - drop-down menu or scrollable box
- **checkbox** - one or more checkboxes
- **checkbox+buttons** - one or more checkboxes, plus **Set** and **Clear** buttons
- **radio** - one or more radio buttons
- **text** - a one-line text field
- **textarea** - a text box; size is 40x10 (columns x rows)
- **field value** - one or more values from a fixed set (select, checkbox, radio type) or free-form (text). (replaces _category item value_)
### Defining a Form in One Topic
1. Create a new topic with your form name: **YourForm**
, **ExpenseReport**
, **InfoCategory**
, **RecordReview**
, whatever you need.
2. Create a TWiki table, with each column head representing one element of an entry field: **Name**
, **Type**
, **Size**
, **Values**
, and **Tooltip msessage**
_(see sample below)_.
3. For each field, fill in a new line; for the type of field, select from the list.
4. Save the topic _(you can later choose to [[enable/disable|Main/WebHome#EnablingForms]] individual forms)_.
> **Example:**
>
> **WebForm**
>
> | *Name* | *Type* | *Size* | *Values* | *Tooltip message* |
> | Know.TopicClassification | select | 1 | Know.NoDisclosure,
> Know.PublicSupported, Know.PublicFAQ | blah blah... |
> | Know.OperatingSystem | checkbox | 3 | Know.OsHPUX, Know.OsLinux,
> Know.OsSolaris, Know.OsWin | blah blah... |
> | Know.OsVersion | text | 16 | | blah blah... |
>
> Name | >Type | >Size | >Values | >Tooltip message | >
---|---|---|---|---|
[[Know/TopicClassification]] | >select | >1 | >[[Know/NoDisclosure]], [[Know/PublicSupported]], [[Know/PublicFAQ]] | >blah blah... | >
[[Know/OperatingSystem]] | >checkbox | >3 | >[[Know/OsHPUX]], [[Know/OsLinux]], [[Know/OsSolaris]], [[Know/OsWin]] | >blah blah... | >
[[Know/OsVersion]] | >text | >16 | >> | blah blah... | >
**FormTemplate**
topic defines the Form, ex: **YourFormTemplate**
.
- For each field that has a value list - select, radio, checkbox - can use separate topic to define the available values.
> **Example: WebFormTemplate**
>
> - Know.WebFormTemplate main definition: Name | >Type | >Size | >Values | >Tooltip message | >
---|---|---|---|---|
[[Know/TopicClassification]] | >select | >1 | >> | blah blah... | >
[[Know/OperatingSystem]] | >checkbox | >3 | >> | blah blah... | >
[[Know/OsVersion]] | >text | >16 | >> | blah blah... | >
**Values**
field **blank**.
>
> - Know.TopicClassification field value definition: Name | >Type | >Tooltip message | >
---|---|---|
[[Know/NoDisclosure]] | >option | >blah blah... | >
[[Know/PublicSupported]] | >option | >blah blah... | >
[[Know/PublicFAQ]] | >option | >blah blah... | >
**\[[...]]**
links can be used to force a link (at present, the **\[[...]\[...]]**
format is not supported).
- The **Tooltip message**
column is used as a tooltip for the field name (only if field name is a [[WikiName]]) - you only see the tooltip In edit.
- The first item in the list is the default item. Alternative initial values can be set in a topic template, like **WebTopicEditTemplate**
, with **field=value**
, or, for checkboxes, **field=1**
.
- The topic definition is not read when a topic is viewed.
## Enabling Forms by Web
Forms are enabled on a per web basis. The **WEBFORMS**
variable in [[WebPreferences]] is optional and defines a list of possible form templates. Example:
- Set WEBFORMS = BugForm, FeatureForm, BookLoanForm
- With **WEBFORMS**
enabled, an extra button is added to the edit view. If the topic doesn't have a Form, an **Add Form** button appears at the end of the topic. If a Form is present, a **Change** button appears in the top row of the Form. The buttons open a screen that enables selection of a form specified in `WEBFORMS`, or the **No form** option.
- A default Form Template (new topics get this default form) can be provided by creating the `WebTopicEditTemplate` topic in a web and adding a form to it. Initial Form values can be set there.
- Additionally a new topic can be given a Form using the `formtemplate` parameter in the URL. Initial values can then be provided in the URLs or as form values:
- other than checkboxes: **name**
, ex: **?BugPriority=1**
- checkbox: **namevalue=1**
, ex: **?ColourRed=1**
. **WEBFORMS**
Preferences variable set, an **Add Form** button appears at the bottom of the page. You can start all new topics with forms enabled, and pre-select a form if there's more than one available:
1. **Edit** the [[WebTopicEditTemplate]] topic, adding the name of an available Form.
2. **Create** a new topic to check - the Form should appear with values set.
- Click **Change** to switch or remove Forms.
A form embedded in a topic also appears in a new topic. This is done by specifying the **formtemplate**
parameter in the URL.
## Setting Up Multiple Form Options
- The optional **WEBFORMS**
variable defines alternative forms that can be selected by pressing **Change** in edit mode.
- A topic template can use any form.
- New topics with a form are created by simple HTML forms asking for a topic name. For example, you can have a `SubmitExpenseReport` topic where you can create new expense reports, a `SubmitVacationRequest` topic, and so on. These can specify the required template topic with its associated form.
## Form Data Storage
The form topic name, fields and values are stored as [[TWikiMetaData]] - the order of the field/value pairs is the same as in the template.
## Using Form Data
[[TWikiForms]] accept user-input data, stored as [[TWikiMetaData]]. Meta data also contains program-generated info about changes, attachments, etc. To find, format and display form and other meta data, see [[TWikiMetaData]], **SEARCH**
and **METASEARCH**
variables in [[TWikiVariables]], and [[TWiki Formatted Search|Main/FormattedSearch]] for various options.
-- [[JohnTalintyre]] - 16 Aug 2001