Creating new order forms requires knowledge of creating HTML Forms. You can do this with any text or HTML Editor. Some HTML editors have HTML Form wizards packaged with them. These HTML Order forms are to be uploaded/saved to the /order_forms/ folder where you have uploaded/installed the program.
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- Creating Order Forms to use with Order Manager
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Creating HTML Order Forms to use with Order Manager requires you use a few specific tags inside your <form action> to </form> tag. These HTML Form files are to be stored in the /order_forms/ directory with a .html file extension. This directory resides in the directory the Order Manager CGI Files are in.
The following form item tags needs to be inserted under the <form action> tag.
Note:
On the final page the user would enter information on or preview information add the following tag so the program knows its complete.<input type=hidden name="done" value="Yes">
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* TO START
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<form action="$cgiurl$" Method=Post>
$form_values$
The $cgiurl$ variable reference above will be replaced with the filename of the form program. Leave this as $cgiurl$ - It will automatically be replaced with the URL to the order.cgi file.
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* SETTING REQUIRED FIELDS
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<input type=hidden name="required" value="first_name:First Name Required,last_name:Last Name Required,email:e-Mail Address Required">
Follow the format above to set required fields inside the current page you are working with.
the value of this tag is: "field_name:Required Field Description" To set more than one required field, use this format above, separated by a comma as shown in the example tag above.
If a required field is not filled in, the user will be shown the required description which is to the right of the : in the name="required" tag.
If a required field is not filled in the page will be returned to the user with the required descriptions being displayed on the page where you have placed this tag:
<!-- template insert : $error$ -->
The form field name="email" is for the users email address. This field is set to be required will be also checked for correct email syntax.
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* MULTIPLE PAGE FORMS
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* SENDING A USER TO THE NEXT PAGE
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Creating a Multiple Page form using Form Manager requires you to specify the next page to be shown from the one the user is currently viewing. You also have the option to setup the option to return to the previous page they filled out. These pages are also to be stored in the /html_forms/ directory.
- Fields Associated with Going to the Next Page:
<input type=hidden name="next_page" value="example_1_pg2">
<input type="submit" name="next" value="Continue">
name="next_page" is the page next that the user will be shown after they successfully complete the page they're on.
Do not enter the file names extension in this field. Leave ".html" off the value.
name="next" is the submit button that takes them to the next page. You can set the value of this field to whatever you would like (IE: Continue / Go to Next Page).
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* SENDING A USER TO THE PREVIOUS PAGE THEY WERE ON
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Use the fields below to send a user back to the previous page they were on. This lets a user check or change the information entered on a previous page before they finalize / submit their data.
<input type=hidden name="last_page" value="example_1_pg1">
<input type="submit" name="previous" value="<< Previous Page">
name="last_page" is the previous page name that the user will be sent back to.
Do not enter the file names extension in this field. Leave ".html" off the value.
name="previous" is the submit button that takes them back to the previous page they viewed. You can set the value of this field to whatever you would like
(IE: Previous Page / Go Back).
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* KEEPING FIELDS ALREADY ENTERED SELECTED
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Form Manager will keep track of the fields already entered so the user does not have to re-type them in as they move back and forth between pages, or if they submit the page and a required field still needs to be entered.
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* Regular Text Entry Field
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Your Name: <input type=text name="name" value="$name$" size=30>
Entering $field_name$ in the value="" section of the input field will pre-fill that field in if it was already entered. field_name = the text/name inside name=""
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* Radio & Checkbox Form Selection
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<input type=radio name="us_resident" value="Yes" $us_resident_Yes_checked$> Yes
For a radio or checkbox button its a bit different from a regular text field. Take the name of the field as above "us_resident", the actual value of the selection which above is "Yes" and the word checked and add them all together, with an underscore separating them. Result: us_resident_Yes_checked
If your value="" has a space in it (value="Yes US Resident" replace the spaces with an underscore. Result: us_resident_Yes_US_Resident_checked
Placing dollar signs around that text to get: $us_resident_Yes_checked$ and placing it after value="" will keep the users selection checked should they not fill in all required fields, or go back and forth between the last & next page.
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* Drop Down Form Selection Box
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Gender:
<select name="gender" size=1>
<option value="">Select Below
<option value="Male" $gender_Male_selected$>Male
<option value="Female" $gender_Female_selected$>Female
</option></select>
For a dropdown menu its a bit different from a radio or checkbox field. Take the name of the field as above "gender", the actual value of the selection which one above is "Male" and the word selected and add them all together, with an underscore separating them. Result: gender_Male_selected
If your value="" has a space in it (value="space value") replace the spaces with an underscore. Result: gender_space_value_selected
Placing dollar signs around that text to get: $gender_Male_selected$ and placing it after value="" will keep the users chosen option selected should they not fill in all required fields, or go back and forth between the last & next page.