Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Mootools scripts for enhancing your html forms

In the past, I wrote about the importance of forms and how to build them properly. In this article, from catswhocode.com , are presented some little but key features that can change user experience when using forms.

Some of them are:
  • Calendar
  • Web 2.0 form
  • Resizable textarea
  • Ajax login form
  • Mootools Form Validation
  • Custom checkboxes, radio buttons and select lists
  • Multiple select
  • Form Validator
  • Textboxlist with autocompletion

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Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Web Forms

Let's start with a classic definition from wikipedia:
A webform on a web page allows a user to enter data that is, typically, sent to a server for processing and to mimic the usage of paper forms. Forms can be used to submit data to save on a server (e.g., ordering a product) or can be used to retrieve data (e.g., searching on a search engine).


So, web forms are really needed nowadays (think about this "leave a comment" feature for the most web 2.0 systems).

Here you will find how to build a web form standards-complaint and accesible (using labels and "for" attribute, for instance).

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/fancy-form-design-css

This is another reference; a study about the usability, design and programming about the web forms:
  • Hover, active, focus - effects in use?
  • Help, support, tooltips: static or dynamic?
  • Help, support, tooltips: where are they placed?
  • Input validation: static or Ajax?
  • Design of error messages
  • Is it necessary to confirm the e-mail?
  • Is it necessary to confirm the password?
  • Is captcha in use?
  • Cancel-button in use?
  • Alignment of the submit-button
  • Thank-you message
  • Further findings
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/07/08/web-form-design-patterns-sign-up-forms-part-2/

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