More about Forms and Submit buttons

[Dark Dragon]

Okay..I put my guestbook together but now I want to know what action I assign the Submit button...do I use the Call Java or the Validate action?

Secondly...I would like the visitors to view the guestbook as well so what do I need to do in order for that to happen?

Please...keep in mind that I am learning slowly so don't put my brain into meltdown mode quite yet, thank you:D

[jeffmott]

what action I assign the Submit button...do I use the Call Java or the Validate action?Can't say I know what you're talking about here. There is no action attribute for a submit button. The action attribute for the form must point to your CGI script.I would like the visitors to view the guestbook as well so what do I need to do in order for that to happen?Just be sure that whatever file that returns the page of posts is publicly available. The results can even be written to a static HTML page if you want simplicity.

[Dark Dragon]

I am using Dreamweaver for making the forms..I inserted the submit button and Dreamweaver gave me the option of making it a submit button..so I don't know if I have to do anything else.

Secondly, I do not know how to make it show results on a static HTML page....like I said, I never encountered such stuff in college so please forgive my seemingly imbecilic inquiries.;)

[jeffmott]

so I don't know if I have to do anything elseNot in Dreamweaver there isn't.I do not know how to make it show results on a static HTML pageIt's not something that can be put together with Dreamweaver's design view. You need to pick a programming language for your server side applications (e.g., Perl, PHP, VB).

[Dark Dragon]

Uh-huh..:rolleyes: That means what, now?

[jeffmott]

Before you can start building a guestbook, you need to pick what programming language you're going to code it in.

[Dark Dragon]

Well...then that means I am back at square one then, right?

I used the objects and forms things in my web program so I assumed it was either Java or VB.

Rats!!!:mad: This is getting complex.

[Dark Dragon]

I assumed a programming language was already established when I used the form objects in Dreamweaver...so just how do I go about choosing this language then?:confused:

As it stands now..I am apparently back to square one then...what good are these form objects then?

[jeffmott]

Form controls in an HTML document acts as the user's interface to a CGI script. The information in a form is collected by the browser and sent to what is defined in the form's action attribute, such as a CGI script or a PHP page. At the server the CGI program or PHP script or some other server-side script (server-side scripts generally refer to any kind of application that executes at the server, whereas JavaScript or VBScript execute on the client's machine and thus is called client-side scripting). The program on the server, given its input collected from a form and sent by the browser, performs any necessary processing and/or database operations. The server program then generates an HTTP header and any content to be sent back to the user (usually an HTML page).

So the form objects created by Dreamweaver are only the means to send input to the CGI script and doesn't even begin the creation of the server program itself.

As for choosing a language, there are many server's that support Perl or PHP or both. Perl is a general purpose programming language and allows you to do anything and everything you could ever want. However, if you have no prior programming experience then you'd probably be better off beginning with PHP.

[Dark Dragon]

Forgive me if I seem a bit thick but if I understand this all then after I create the form then I should just be able to upload it and the server basically does its own thing, right?

[jeffmott]

No. The CGI script is where all the work is done (whether you write your own or just download one that is pre-written). The form is only a means of feeding input to the script. The form by itself is [nearly] useless. You'll have to upload your CGI script (whether you wrote it or downloaded it) to the server and the action attribute of the form should point to the CGI script.

[Dark Dragon]

Ah! So I am at square one again.

I have no CGI generator nor do I even know how to write it.

I don't want to register for a free forum as they are so slow so I may as well forget about it then

Thanks for the help.

[jeffmott]

I have no CGI generatorThere's no such thing. There's a big difference between a markup language (e.g., HTML) and a programming language. There are no WYSIWYG editors for programming languages. Have you at least had experience in writing JavaScript? Though JavaScript does not execute at the server and isn't what you are looking for, it is a programming language, and can help introduce you to the basic concepts and contructs that appear in nearly all programming languages.

[Dark Dragon]

Have you at least had experience in writing JavaScript?

No..I haven't ever had any experience writing Javascript at all.

Perhaps the cgi generator comment wasn't quite what I meant to say....but it appears that making such a form is more trouble than it is apparently worth.

I guess I will have to find some pre made script that can be copy-and-pasted or something and since I value what is left of my sanity I won't try writing it myself yet.

Thanks