Forms

Forms were defined in HTML 2.0 and are used for soliciting input from users. Described below are the tags associated with forms. These tags are used to gather information from the user. Once the form is filled out, the user will need to press a SUBMIT button which gathers the information and sends it to the proper destination on the Web server. Typically the data will be sent to a CGI script or program which will then process the data. This program may or may not send back a response.

All form elements are enclosed in <FORM> ...</FORM> tags. Each FORM tag includes METHOD and ACTION attributes. The ACTION attribute specifies a URL that indicates a specific CGI script or program that collects and processes the form data. The METHOD attribute describes the way in which the input data will be delivered to the CGI program.
The <INPUT TYPE="TEXT"> tag is used to specify single lines of input. This tag must also have a NAME attribute and may have SIZE and MAXLENGTH attributes.
The <TEXTAREA> ... </TEXTAREA> tag pair is used to specify multiple lines of input. This tag requires a NAME attribute as well as ROWS and COLS attributes.
The Radio Button tag <INPUT TYPE="RADIO"> is used to create a radio button for a range of selections from which the user may select only one. This tag requires a name for the radio button group and a VALUE tag for each button. It may also have a CHECKED attribute.
The Check Box tag <INPUT TYPE="CHECKBOX"> is used to allow the user to make multiple selections. This tag requires a name for the check box group and a VALUE tag for each box. It may also have a CHECKED attribute.
A selection list is a typical scrolling list, such as the list of files display in a file open dialog. <SELECT> ... </SELECT> set of tags to be inserted into the current document, bracketing <OPTION> tags corresponding to each list item which has been defined.The NAME attribute is required. SIZE and MULTIPLE attributes are optional.
Every form a Web page designer creates will most likely have a "submit" button ( <INPUT TYPE="SUBMIT"> ) tag defined for it. The submit button is used to submit the form data for processing. The "Reset Button" resets the fields defined in a form back to their default contents. The VALUE attribute is used to change the label on the button.

For more information on forms, check:

Form Tutor

Links to pages displaying forms

Sample Form (e-mails raw data as a stream)
Student Survey Form (e-mails formatted data)
Course Evaluation Form (e-mails formatted data)
English Composition example with Forms

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Wayne Summers summers_wayne@ColumbusState.edu

last revised Aug. 7, 1996