http://qs321.pair.com?node_id=663822


in reply to Re: Which HTML form builder
in thread Which HTML form builder

And CSS!

Lazy man's form: With FormBuilder, I give each element a unique class and have a script that generates a basic style sheet based on FormBuilder's initial output. Then I go in emacs/TextPad and move things around as desired.

Is the style sheet sillier looking than a hand-coded-from-scratch one? Sure is. But I treasure every minute I spend not coding forms. (Hate 'em, hate 'em, hate 'em.)

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^3: Which HTML form builder
by dorward (Curate) on Jan 23, 2008 at 17:00 UTC

    I give each element a unique class

    You might be better off dropping this and using an id instead. This has a number of advantages.

    First, an id is supposed to represent a unique thing, whereas class is for groups.

    Second, in order to use label elements most effectively, you need to use a for attribute rather then nesting the control inside the label (this is due to the for approach having better support from browsers) - so you should have a unique id on each control anyway.

      I'm an idiot, and I don't talk with other designers/tech people enough to have my terminology straight. I meant ID, but was only using 'em for the first reason, and I didn't know about the second.

      As a total side note, but you got me thinking about it: I used to have a great chart that (in the html days) had every tag and the compatibility with various browsers. Nowadays I'm using http://www.quirksmode.org/css/contents.html which is nice, but doesn't cover some of the lesser used browsers that create the PITA glitches. Where do you go for your compatibility info nowadays?

        On the supposition that you're interested in the interaction of css *AND* browser, some info, data and or tools can be found:

        And, though it scarcely needs saying and these are not, strictly speaking, responsive to your question, consider:

        1. screen rez
        2. screen size, and...
        3. the user's connectivity (something like 50% of the US population *STILL* has no highspeed access) because it bears on whether your page will render for a member of your target audience before the individual gives up and browses elsewhere.

        BTW, these are a merely few samples from a quick Google for " browser + compatibiltity" but there are other and better ones out there still. However, my usual references are at home whereas I'm on the road and yet another meeting calls. So take these with a grain of salt.

Re^3: Which HTML form builder
by Rhandom (Curate) on Jan 24, 2008 at 04:57 UTC
    (Hate 'em, hate 'em, hate 'em.)


    I would have to agree - I hate building forms too. It is somewhat tedious. But how long do you spend coding your form as opposed to the rest of the real work? I'd wager it is an insignificant amount of time - and future modifications are easier on the static HTML - and there are fewer processing cycles for static HTML - and you can give it to an HTML designer - and you can track insignificant changes via cvs/svn.

    As my wife likes to say - pick your battles.

    my @a=qw(random brilliant braindead); print $a[rand(@a)];