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+--- Thread: Multi-form without api? (/showthread.php?tid=165)
Multi-form without api? - sergiozambrano - May 25th, 2009
I'm comfortable using the non-api version and when choosing api or not, it says multi-form works better with the api.
Although documentation says I can do it without the api, as if it were an option, I can't find the way to set it up. I can only set up the first form.
Is it possible to create multiple steps forms WITHOUT the API?
If yes, HOW!!?
Happy Memorial Day.
RE: Multi-form without api? - sergiozambrano - May 26th, 2009
I assume I should go with the api.
Right?
RE: Multi-form without api? - Ben - May 30th, 2009
Hey Sergio,
Sorry for the wait. Yes, I'd recommend the API - here's a quick explanation why.
I wrote FT to be as generic as possible, which is cool for developers once they see how things work, but it makes writing the documentation tricky as hell. In a lot of cases, like with multi-page forms, there are lots of different ways to do it. So when I started documenting how to do it without the API I realized it would confuse people. So I vouched for just documenting the way to do it with the API version. I figured that advanced users can always figure out their own techniques that best suit their problem set.
Now I've said my peace (piece?), here's a few examples of how you could do it without the API:
- On page 2, 3, 4... of your form, pass along the values already submitted in pages PRIOR to that page via hidden fields. So, every time the user clicks "Continue >>" the form is actually posting all information inputted up to that point. On the final page, just post it all to process.php.
- Use sessions to store the form information from each page, then on the last page, extract it all from sessions and create hidden fields to pass along everything.
- Again, store the data as you progress through the form, then use CURL to post the data on the final step.
- For Ajax / DHTML forms you could hide/show the pages in your multi-page form with javascript, then when the user clicks "submit" post it all directly to process.php either with a standard form request or via HTTPRequest.
Basically there's a LOT of different ways to do it, but the API is definitely the simplest.
Hope this info (kinda?) helps...
- Ben
RE: Multi-form without api? - sergiozambrano - May 31st, 2009
Ohhh, so then it'd be super cool you to add a single line on the documentation that states : "non-API forms can't submit the information to the server other than at-once, so you must figure out a way to pass/store the variables through the forms/pages"
I really needed to add data from a new form to an already saved submission, just in case user felt like filling out more data to get a free automated report for an event at the Miami commerce chamber.
I ended up passing the variables with JS and PHP but not storing them in the server. After all, the report can be automatically created anytime based on just the guest web domain. Although it would been cool to save the whole thing to analyze all the submission at once.
Passing variables to the next page or hiding forms to make easy steps is relatively easy for a JS/PHP copy-paste web designer like me, so if the non-api version of your amazing system can attach new info to previous submissions you should say so somewhere!
Thank you for the response.