How do you make online forms

EJRS.COM · #1 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 03:48 AM

Everytime I make an online form, it never works. Please tell me how to make them. Thanks.

realm174 · #2 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 09:12 AM

I'm not sure what does not work for you, as you're not giving any details. In the meantime, here is a link that has a tutorial on forms.

http://www.webcom.com/html/tutor/forms/start.shtml

I hope this helps...

vwebworld · #3 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 10:08 AM

Hi,

Well, you could use one of the resources listed
on your site... Bravenet.com. They offer a "free"
form handler.... that works.

~roland

EJRS.COM · #4 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 02:30 PM

Hi Vwebworld.

Because I have not been able to make my own forms, I have used Bravenet. But the only prob with Bravenet's forms is that it takes you to a page which says it's from Bravenet, and also the popup ads!! I Don't want to have my customers go thru an extrnal company to be able to send me info.

Hi Realm. I will look it up now.

voodooboy · #5 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 02:44 PM

If you can provide specifics as to server type, whether or not you have cgi access, what application you are trying to use and a link to the form you are having problems with, we might be able to help you out.

vwebworld · #6 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 02:44 PM

You're on your way!

If you have "created" a form using Bravenet, and
the form works and has the fields you want...
then you have a from to start with.

If you bring up that your webpage form in your
browser then clcik on "view" "source" you have
all the HTML for the form.

You would then need to redo the form handler part
to use a form handler you want.

~Roland

EJRS.COM · #7 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 03:28 PM

General server information:
Operating system Linux
Apache version 1.3.29 (Unix)

Yes I have full cgi ability and is a full featured webhosting. I am a webhost myself. That part is handled for me by a partner company and my email service is outsourced too. That way I don't have to deal with it myself as I am unskilled with it.

Old "SAMPLE" Links I am struggling with
http://ejrs.com/contact.html
http://ejrs.com/webmailreg.html
which I never used in the end.

vwebworld · #8 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 03:39 PM

It looks like both of those forms ar OK.
They are both set to email the form results
directly - not through a fomr handler.

This may cause problems with AOL users... in that
AOL does not support forms that well... when you
email it directly.

~Roland

EJRS.COM · #9 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 03:43 PM

I would greatly appreciate it if you could tell me how I can get it to work with a form handler instead of direct-to-email as it is now.

Sualdam · #10 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 05:21 PM

What do you want the form to do?

You have an HTML page with formfields on it. And a submit button.

What do you want to happen then?

voodooboy · #11 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004, 09:43 PM

There are two scripts I use that you can download free online.
1) bnbforms.cgi from bignosebird.com
2) formmail.cgi from Matt's Script Archive

The three most important things you need to know about setting up these scripts is where the perl handler is. On some systems it is
/usr/local/bin/perl but it may be in /usr/bin/perl or /usr/sbin/perl.

And you mail host, which most times can be labeled as "localhost" but could also be user/sbin/sendmail or some derivative of that.

The last is making sure your action()is not "mailto:webguru@ejrs.com" but calling the script such as "/cgi-bin/bnbform.cgi"

This will send the data through the script instead of the mail program on the viewers system.

While formmail is widely know, I use bnbform.cgi for clients who want a comma, space delimited data file which can be created by the cgi application within the cgi folder.

I would check both and read the read me files that come with them and decide for yourself which one is best for you.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.

EJRS.COM · #12 (**permalink**) 01-15-2004, 04:11 AM

All of you have been a mighty great help. Thanks for the detailed explanations and directions. Much success to all of you and I hope and pray your businesses will thrive and prosper. God bless.

EJRS.COM · #13 (**permalink**) 01-15-2004, 01:11 PM

Ghstdrgns, can u pls send me the link where i can get that free mailer script from Matt's Script Archive? Thanks a million.

vwebworld · #14 (**permalink**) 01-15-2004, 01:15 PM

http://www.scriptarchive.com/formmail.html

~Roland

voodooboy · #15 (**permalink**) 01-15-2004, 03:00 PM

Thanks Roland.