diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | TWiki/TWikiForms.mdwn | 66 |
1 files changed, 23 insertions, 43 deletions
diff --git a/TWiki/TWikiForms.mdwn b/TWiki/TWikiForms.mdwn index f77e0fd6..d9da0aa2 100644 --- a/TWiki/TWikiForms.mdwn +++ b/TWiki/TWikiForms.mdwn @@ -2,14 +2,12 @@ %TOC% -### <a name="Background"> Background </a> - -This is a more general replacement for the [[TWikiCategoryTable]] capability, in particular Forms are defined by special topics, where as categories were defineind using special templates. +Topics allow for flexible free format data, sometimes you want to ensure strucutre to some of the topic information, this can be done with Forms e.g. saying what type of topic it is (Bug, Feature, FAQ entry etc). ### <a name="Terminology"> Terminology </a> * **Form Template:** A set of fields defining a form. (_Class_ in OO speak; used to be called _category table definition_) - * A web may contain more then one form template. + * A web may contain more then zero or more form template. * **Form:** A topic containing additional meta-data (besides the free form TEXTAREA) which categorizes the content. (_Object_ in OO speak; used to be called _category table_) * A topic has zero or one of the defined forms. So there are topics with a form or without. * **Form Field:** A named item in a form. (Used to be called _category item name_) @@ -26,26 +24,22 @@ This is a more general replacement for the [[TWikiCategoryTable]] capability, in #### <a name="Enable_forms_for_a_web"> Enable forms for a web </a> -By default topics can be edited in free form. A form can be added to a topic to give it more structure. Forms are enabled on a per web basis. This can be done in two ways. One is similar to that used for the older category system, with this a Web can have only one form. The other allows a Web to have any number of forms. - -A default form template can be provided by creating the <code>**WebTopicEditTemplate**</code> topic in a Web and adding a form to it. Initial form values can be set here. - -#### <a name="Enabling_single_default_form"> Enabling single default form </a> +By default topics can be edited in free form. A form can be added to a topic to give it more structure. Forms are enabled on a per web basis. -The <code>**DEFAULTFORM**</code> variable in [[WebPreferences]] is optional. If present it specifies the default form for all topics in the Web. Every time you edit a topic you will be presented with a form. The form must contain the special field `UseForm` (analogous to the `UseCategory` line in the old category system). The values for this must be: +The <code>**WEBFORMS**</code> variable in [[WebPreferences]] is optional and defines a list of possible form templates e.g. -* First field - "Yes" (any capitalisation) -* Second field - any text, but must mean _no form_ +* Set WEBFORMS = BugForm, FeatureForm, BookLoanForm -#### <a name="Enabling_multiple_forms"> Enabling multiple forms </a> +With this present 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 to the right of the form name. The buttons leads to a screen that enables _no form_ to be selected of one of those specified by `WEBFORMS`. -The <code>**WEBFORMS**</code> variable in [[WebPreferences]] is optional and defines a list of possible form templates e.g. +A default form template (i.e. new topics get this default form) can be provided by creating the <code>**WebTopicEditTemplate**</code> topic in a Web and adding a form to it. Initial form values can be set here. -* Set WEBFORMS = BugForm, FeatureForm, BookLoanForm +Addtionaly 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. Names being: -With this present an extra button is added to the edit view. If the topic doesn't have a form the button appears at the end of the page. If a form is present the button appears in the top row of the form. Pressing the button leads to a screen that enables _no form_ to be selected of one of those specified by `WEBFORMS`. +* Not checkboxs - nameFLD e.g. ?BugPriorityFLD=1 +* Checkbox - nameFLDvalue=1 e.g. ?ColourFLDRed=1. Note that all boxes with a tick must be specified. -#### <a name="Define_a_form_template"> Define a form template </a> +#### <a name="Defining_a_form_template"> Defining a form template </a> Form templates are defined by topics, one topic per form template. A form template topic has descriptive text mixed with the form template definition in the form of a TWiki table. @@ -64,13 +58,6 @@ Example: WebFormTemplate of the TWiki.Know web: <th bgcolor="#99CCCC"><strong>Tooltip message:</strong></th> </tr> <tr> - <td><span style="background:"><font color="">Use Form</font></span><a href="http://LOCATIONKnow/UseForm">?</a></td> - <td> radio </td> - <td> 0 </td> - <td> Yes, No </td> - <td> Select 'No' to remove the form </td> - </tr> - <tr> <td><span style="background:"><font color="">Topic Classification</font></span><a href="http://LOCATIONKnow/TopicClassification">?</a></td> <td> select </td> <td> 1 </td> @@ -111,13 +98,6 @@ Above Example: <th bgcolor="#99CCCC"><strong>Tooltip message:</strong></th> </tr> <tr> - <td><span style="background:"><font color="">Use Form</font></span><a href="http://LOCATIONKnow/UseForm">?</a></td> - <td> radio </td> - <td> 0 </td> - <td> Yes, No </td> - <td> blah blah... </td> - </tr> - <tr> <td><span style="background:"><font color="">Topic Classification</font></span><a href="http://LOCATIONKnow/TopicClassification">?</a></td> <td> select </td> <td> 1 </td> @@ -166,32 +146,28 @@ Above Example: #### <a name="Notes"> Notes </a> * This format allows you to define field items with / without [[TWiki/WikiNames]], depending on your needs. -* The topic can be protected in the usual manner so that not everybody can change the form template. +* The topic can be protected in the usual manner so that not everybody can change the form template - see [[TWikiAccessControl]] * `...` can be used for force a link, at present `...` format is not supported * The "Tooltip message:" column is used as a tool tip for the field name (only if field name is a [[TWiki/WikiName]]) - you only see the tooltip on edit * The first item in the list is the default item. Alternative initial values can be given in a topic template such as <code>**WebTopicEditTemplate**</code> or using fieldFLD=value or for checkboxes fieldFLDcheckbox=1 in URL -* The `UseForm` field is special. - * Will always default to second value (don't use form) when topic doesn't have a form - * Is not show on preview or view - * When set to no on save, form data is deleted. -* It is not a good idea to use both `DEFAULTFORM` and `WEBFORMS` [[WebPreferences]] in the same Web. +* The topic definition is not read when a topic is viewed ### <a name="Changes_from_category_system"> Changes from category system </a> Main changes from [[TWikiCategoryTable]]: * Name changed in the hope that form is more readily understandable than category -* `UseCategory` is now `UseForm` * The templates for category view/edit have been dropped * Forms are defined by topics, categories were defined in a template file * A Web can have multiple forms, only one category was possible * Form data is saved in meta variables - see [[MetaDataDefinition]], and render to HTML on viewing. Category data was stored as HTML +* The UseCategory radio button has gone, the replacement being the _Change_ form and _Add Form_ buttons. ### <a name="Creating_new_topics_with_forms"> Creating new topics with forms </a> -When you create a new topic in a web that has the WEBFORM preferences variable set you will get a topic with the default form template specified by the variable. +When you create a new topic in a web that has the WEBFORMS preferences variable set you will get a _Add Form_ button at the bottom of the page. However, if the [[WebTopicEditTemplate]] topic has had a form added this will appear with values set; _Change_ in the form can be pressed to remove the template or switch to a different one. -For simplicity we should use the default form template when one creates a new topic by question mark link or "Go" field, i.e. better not to show a menu to select a form template. +A form embedded in a topic can also cause a form to be present in a new topic, this is done by specifying the `formtemplate` parameter in the URL. ### <a name="Topic_meta_data"> Topic meta data </a> @@ -203,7 +179,7 @@ The order of form field/value items in the meta-data is the same as in the form ### <a name="UI_for_multiple_form_templates"> UI for multiple form templates </a> -* Optional <code>**WEBFORMS**</code> variable defines possibles form templates that can be selected after pressing "Change" (forms) button on edit page +* Optional <code>**WEBFORMS**</code> variable defines possible form templates that can be selected after pressing "Change" (forms) button on edit page * A template topic can use any form template * Decided not to ask user to choose a template or form template when creating a topic as goes against the KISS of Wiki systems. * New topics with a form get instantiated by simple HTML forms asking for a topic name, i.e. there is a SubmitExpenseReport topic were you can create new expense reports, a SubmitVacationRequest topic and so on. These can specify the required template topic and hence form. @@ -214,6 +190,10 @@ Principle: new system should work with old data with no special conversion. Old data should be transparently upgraded to the new meta format when a topic is edit/previewed/saved. -On upgrading the administrator must produce a form template topic for each Web that using the old category system. `twikicatitems.tmpl` defines the categories and is used in the conversion. The form template must be put as first item in [[WebPreferences]] variable <code>**WEBFORM**</code> or <code>**DEFAULTFORM**</code> (if/when put in). If it's not present, an _oops_ dialog results. +On upgrading the administrator must produce a form template topic for each Web that using the old category system. `twikicatitems.tmpl` defines the categories and is used in the conversion. The form template must be put as first item in [[WebPreferences]] variable `=WEBFORM`. If it's not present `view` works, but `edit` results in an _oops_ dialog results. If things aren't working correctly there may be entries `data/warning.txt`. + +### <a name="History"> History </a> + +This is a more general replacement for the [[TWikiCategoryTable]] capability, in particular Forms are defined by special topics, where as categories were defineind using special templates. --- [[Main/JohnTalintyre]] - 07 Aug 2001 <br /> +-- [[Main/JohnTalintyre]] - 16 Aug 2001 <br /> |