Two Forms, One Database

[alexh]

So, I was thinking about implementing a new form, and was wondering if this is possible:

The goal is to create two different forms, and have them submit to the same database.

Form 1 and 2 would share almost all of the same fields. One of the forms would ask for the person's name and address, and the other form would be for staff and ask for their name and unique organization ID number. The idea is to have those fields on a separate form for staff, so the public doesn't see those fields.

This is how I thought I would go about it:
Create one form with all of the form fields that would be used in both forms. Run through the setup the same way as usual.

Then, copy and paste the form to another page. On one form, delete the fields I don't want to see.. and do the same on the other form.

Now, will the system freak out if it doesn't see one of the fields being submitted? In other words, instead of deleting them, should I change them to "hidden" fields?

What do you think?
Alex

[Ben]

Hi Alex,

Yup! That's a totally valid approach - in fact, it's a technique we've used ourselves quite a bit. As an example, we did the Vancouver Fringe Festival's forms this way (I'm sure they wouldn't mind me divulging this secret!). They run a yearly festival here in Vancouver, BC and have two different types of registrations: BYOV ("Bring your own venue") performers and Main Stage performers. They share a lot of the same fields, but a lot are different.

So what I did when first setting it up for them is pick the form with the most fields, then add that to Form Tools via the Add Form process. Then I manually added the additional fields from the second form.

Within the UI, I created a number of different Views to hide/show the appropriate fields. Lastly, I used the Submission Accounts module to allow the registrants themselves log in and view their own (different) fields.

And all with a single form!

So yeah, the script doesn't care about what gets sent along with the submission: it's very lenient in that regard. Fields can be missing, extra unrecognized fields can be included - it doesn't care. It just tries to do the best it can with the POST data.

Good luck with it!

- Ben

[jlkane]

I've used this same technique very successfully, but today I have a new variation on the theme: Two forms, one database ...but I'd like to have submissions from each form redirect to a unique URL. Thus two forms, one database, two "thank you" pages.

I have a hunch that this would be easy to do with an API-based submission, but it appears to be impossible for the process.php method. Is there an approach that I can employ ...without having to learn PHP?

Sorry to be a weenie,

Jim

[Ben]

Haha - no, not at all.

Actually, this is possible with both the API and POST forms. With the API you just do a bit of logic in the PHP to specify a different redirect URL - nothing special there. But with POST forms, you need to include a hidden field containing the URL you want to redirect to. This will override whatever is defined as the Redirect URL within Form Tools.

Code:

<input type="hidden" name="form_tools_redirect_url" value="http://yoursite.com" />

Hope this helps!

- Ben

[jlkane]

That's awesome! Thanks for your quick reply, Ben ...and for so thoroughly accommodating us weenies. Your work on Form Tools continues to impress and amaze!

All the best,

Jim