Looking for a better form option?

[pokerace]

I currently use netformdd (an html form generator) and Frontpage to create forms for an intranet site. The forms are starting to look dated and I was wondering what other options I can pursue to create new forms that look better and have more versitility with either HTML or something else?

Thanks.

 

[vacunita]

I'm really not sure what you mean by dated?
If they are looking a little to simple, or just very plain, you could use CSS in the form's html to add color, images. modify borders etc...

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Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[pokerace]

Sorry, let me explain it better.

For starters, I would like to have a form that is dynamic in that the selection options available to the user will change based on selected criteria. Just for example's sake, lets say that the user is selecting food items. Dropdown Box 1 gives the option to select "fruit" or "vegetable", and Box 2 list the types of fruit or vegetable they want. If the user selects "fruit" from dropdown Box 1, then Box 2 will include only fruit items for selections.

Second, I would like to have more formatting options with the form results. Currently, it seems that I am limited. Is that just an html form limitation?

 

[Vragabond]

Well, the problem is that your question is still too general. Yes, you can do the changing selection on the dropdown 2 based on dropdown 1 -- it will probably range between requiring a little bit of javascript (reload the form with the value from dropdown 1) or a lot of it (dynamically change preloaded lists in the dropdown 2), but you will need to commit to something like that and than take the question to the appropriate forum (forum216 for client-side and whatever server side language you use for server-side help).

As for the formatting of the form and results. With the form you are somewhat limited, because some browsers will not allow you to style form controls. You might want to check this article to check how different styles apply to different form controls across different OSes/browsers. On the other hand, you can just google for 'css style accessible form' or something similar to see some of the modern form designs.

As for the results, you are not limited at all. You just need to modify the server-side script that processes the form to output whatever html you want and then use CSS to style that to your heart's content.

 

[vacunita]

The problem I'm seeing is that you want some magic form generator to do it all for you, and that just isn't going to happen.

I'm afraid you'll have to get your hands dirty and start learning CSS, to alter the results produced. And some JS or server-side language to alter the forms functioning.

What you descried is easily achieved, but you can't expect a form generator to do it all for you. And if you are creating web forms on a regular basis, learning this stuff should be at the top of you priorities.


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Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[pokerace]

I don't mind learning, but I just needed to be pointed in the right direction. Thanks.