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Microsoft FrontPage 2003

Forms: Using the UW-Eau Claire Form Processing Script

To allow any of the forms processing features to return user-filled field values to you, you must both assign the forms processing script to your form and insert the five required hidden form fields. This will allow you to use the basic email message functions. To make use of additional features, you will also need to insert Optional Form Fields.

return to topAccessing the Form Properties Dialog Box

  1. Open a FrontPage document or create your form

  2. Select your form field

  3. From the Insert menu, select Form » Form Properties...
    OR
    Right click the form field » select Form Properties...
    The Form Properties dialog box appears.
    Form Properties dialog box

return to topAssigning the Forms Processing Script

  1. Access the form properties dialog box

  2. In the Where to store results section, select Send to other

  3. From the Send to other pull-down list, select Custom ISAPI, NSAPI, CGI or ASP Script

  4. Click OPTIONS...
    The Options for Custom Form Handler dialog box appears.
    Options for Custom Form Handler dialog box

  5. In the Action text box, to tell your form where the forms processing script is located on the UWEC Web server, type /scripts/formmail/formmail.pl

  6. From the Method pull-down list, select POST

  7. Click OK

  8. Continue with Defining the Required Hidden Form Fields and then Inserting the Required Hidden Form Fields.

return to topDefining the Required Hidden Form Fields

Hidden form fields are similar to the other form fields in that they have name-value pairs with field names that are case sensitive. However, unlike the other form fields, hidden form fields are not visible to the user. Hidden form fields allow form developers to pass information from a form to a form handler script, or from one form to another.

HINT: There are additional, optional form fields available for you to use with the forms processing script. For more information, refer to Optional Form Fields.

There are five hidden form fields that must be inserted in a form in order for the forms processing script to work.

recipient
This hidden form field specifies who will receive the email message that contains the form field information. The appropriate person's email address must be entered as the value of this hidden form field. To send to multiple recipients, enter all email addresses, separated by a comma and a space as the value of this hidden form field.

subject
This hidden form field specifies the subject line of the email message containing the form results. The desired subject must be entered as the value of this hidden form field.

title
After a user submits a form, a new web page will be displayed showing the form field information that the user submitted. This hidden form field specifies the title of this web page, both on the page and at the top of the browser window. This title must be entered as the value of this hidden form field.

return_link_url
After a user submits a form, the web page, which is returned showing the form results, will contain a return link at the bottom, allowing the user to link back to another web page. The URL for this link must be entered as the value of this hidden form field.

return_link_title
After a user submits a form, the web page, which is returned showing the form results, will contain a return link at the bottom, allowing the user to link back to another web page. The value of this hidden form field specifies the text for the return link that is visible to the user. The text for this link must be entered as the value of this hidden form field.

return to topInserting the Required Hidden Form Fields

HINT: There are additional functions available, including requiring that certain fields be filled, redirecting users to another page, sending copies, sending courtesy replies, and sending results to a text file. To do this, you must insert optional form fields. For more information, refer to Optional Form Fields.

  1. Access the form properties dialog box

  2. Click ADVANCED...
    The Advanced Form Properties dialog box appears.
    Advanced Form Properties dialog box

  3. Click ADD...
    The Name/Value Pair dialog box appears.
    Name/Value Pair dialog box

  4. In the Name and Value text boxes, type the name and value of the appropriate hidden form field

    Name of Hidden Form Field Value
    recipient
    The value is the email address of the person who receives the form results. To send the email to multiple recipients, type all the email addresses, separating each email address by a comma and a space.
    EXAMPLE: username@uwec.edu
    subject
    		 The value is the subject line of the email message that contains the form results.
    EXAMPLE: UW-Eau Claire Information Form
    title
    The value is the text for the title of the resulting web page.
    EXAMPLE: Student Information Form Results
    return_link_url The value is the URL of the return link found at the bottom of  the resulting web page.
    EXAMPLE: http://www.uwec.edu/formpage.htm
    return_link_title The value is the text for the return link that is visible to the user
    EXAMPLE: Back to FrontPage Forms

  5. Click OK
    You are returned to the Advanced Form Properties dialog box.

  6. Repeat steps 3-5 until all five hidden form fields have been added
    When finished, the Hidden fields list should display all the required hidden form fields

  7. Click OK

  8. Click OK

return to topModifying the Required Hidden Form Fields

There may be times when you want to change information contained in the required hidden form fields. This section discusses two reliable options: removing and re-inserting the fields and making changes in the Code.

RECOMMENDATION: Regardless of the method you use, after the changes have been made, you may need to save your document, re-open it, and double check to see if the field has been modified.

Option 1: Removing and Re-inserting the Fields

  1. Access the form properties dialog box

  2. Click ADVANCED...
    The Advanced Form Properties dialog box appears.

  3. Select the field to be removed

  4. Click REMOVE

  5. To insert a new field, continue with steps 3-9 in Inserting the Required Hidden Form Fields

Option 2: Make Changes in the Code

  1. Open a FrontPage document or create your form

  2. Click SHOW CODE VIEW
    The Code view appears.
    Code tab

  3. Search for the field name
    1. Under the Edit menu, select Find...
      The Find and Replace dialog box appears.
    2. Select the Find tab
    3. In the Find what text box, type the name of the field you want to change
    4. Click FIND NEXT
      The text matching your search is highlighted.

    5. Click CLOSE

  4. In the Code view, make the desired changes.
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