Chapter 11 - Web Forms

This chapter covers the HTML form elements. Forms let you build interactive web pages that collect information from a user and process it on the web server. You can use forms to gather information and create databases or to send customized responses to your users. Forms collect—but do not process—data. The data processing is performed by an application on the web server. Forms are the basis for online commerce; without them, users would not be able to enter their order choices, shipping address, and credit card information while shopping on the web.

When you complete this chapter, you will be able to:

Form Examples

Figure 11-1: Sample HTML form

Figure 11-2: Text box input type

Figure 11-3: Check box input type

Figure 11-4: Radio buttons input type

Figure 11-6: Using an image for the submit button

Figure 11-7: File input type lets user select style

Figure 11-8: Password input type

Figure 11-9: Select list element

Figure 11-10: Scrollable select list with multiple choices

Figure 11-11 Grouping list options

Figure 11-12: Using the textarea element

Figure 11-13: Grouping and labeling input elements

Figure 11-15: Typical form layout

Figure 11-16: Form layout enhanced with CSS

Figure 11-17: Label elements with width, float and border styles

Figure 11-18: Form layout enhanced with CSS

Figure 11-19: Default appearnce of fieldset and legend elements

Figure 11-20: Using fieldset and legend style rules

Figure 11-21: Gradient background in a form

Activity Files

Download the Chapter Eleven activity files.