Jun 12th, 2012, 10:25 AM
Ah yes, you are absolutely correct. The general idea behind FormTools, I think is that it is the processor behind the form. It processes and parses data submitted on a form, then does something with it. In most cases that includes storing submission data in a database as well as sending out an e-mail based on certain criteria.
It is only recently with the Form Builder module that FormTools can now actually create the form itself via a user interface, which can then be published to your website and then processed with the FormTools back-end.
But technically speaking, you are correct in saying that creating forms for your website is typically done via manually coding the HTML, using a feature like the Form Builder module or something similar.
The one thing that sets FormTools apart here from being just a form processor, is that you can actually create, submit and store data for forms without publishing to your website (ie: Internal Forms that require a FormTools user login). While I don't use Internal Forms myself, I guess that would be a pretty handy feature at the core of the design.
I should also note here (at least personally), that I haven't used the Form Builder. As someone who does a lot of manual HTML anyway, I simply prefer to code the forms on my website myself. Then I use FormTools to process them by adding them to the FormTools admin area, etc. That works out pretty nicely for me. I suppose if I didn't have much experience in HTML, I would prefer using the Form Builder as a user interface to help me design a form, then I could simply copy and paste (maybe the Form Builder module has an FTP option?) the form into my website.
Either way, I think you can see now, that with a little design work, you can use FormTools to perfectly accomplish your original set of goals asked here
It is only recently with the Form Builder module that FormTools can now actually create the form itself via a user interface, which can then be published to your website and then processed with the FormTools back-end.
But technically speaking, you are correct in saying that creating forms for your website is typically done via manually coding the HTML, using a feature like the Form Builder module or something similar.
The one thing that sets FormTools apart here from being just a form processor, is that you can actually create, submit and store data for forms without publishing to your website (ie: Internal Forms that require a FormTools user login). While I don't use Internal Forms myself, I guess that would be a pretty handy feature at the core of the design.
I should also note here (at least personally), that I haven't used the Form Builder. As someone who does a lot of manual HTML anyway, I simply prefer to code the forms on my website myself. Then I use FormTools to process them by adding them to the FormTools admin area, etc. That works out pretty nicely for me. I suppose if I didn't have much experience in HTML, I would prefer using the Form Builder as a user interface to help me design a form, then I could simply copy and paste (maybe the Form Builder module has an FTP option?) the form into my website.
Either way, I think you can see now, that with a little design work, you can use FormTools to perfectly accomplish your original set of goals asked here