TWiki Forms

Form-based input in topics, with name/value pairs stored as Meta Data variables; multiple forms per web & topic

Overview

By adding form-based input to free-form content, you can structure topics with unlimited, easily searchable categories. When forms are enabled for a web and selected in a topic, the form appears in edit mode, and the contents are rendered as a table when viewing the actual page. When editing, can switch forms, if more than one is defined, or remove forms entirely. Form input values are stored as TWikiMetaData; all data is saved.

Form Templates replace TWikiCategory Tables from the 01-Dec-2000 version of TWiki.

Main Changes from Category Tables

Form Templates more powerful, flexible replacement for the original TWikiCategoryTable. Data from existing category tables can be imported directly.

Form Templates Category Tables
defined in topics defined in templates
many forms per web one table per web
saved as Meta Data saved as HTML
Change & Add Form buttons UseCategory radio button

Importing Category Table Data

On upgrading from the previous TWiki, a Form Template topic has to be built for each web that used a Category Table, recreating the fields and values from the old twikicatitems.tmpl. The replacement Form Template must be set as the first item in the WebPreferences variable =WEBFORM. If missing, pages will display, but attempting to edit results in an error message.

The new Form Template system should work with old Category Table data with no special conversion. Data is assigned to Meta variables the first time an imported topic is edited and saved in the new system.

NOTE: If things aren't working correctly, there may be useful entries in data/warning.txt.

Defining a Form Template

A Form Template is simply a page containing your form, defined in a table where each row is one form field.

Form Template Elements

Defining a Form in One Topic

  1. Create a new topic with your Form name: MyForm, ExpenseReport, InfoCategory, RecordReview, whatever you need.
  2. Create a TWiki table, with each column representing one element of an entry field: Name, Type, Size, Values, and Tooltip msessage (see sample below).
  3. For each field, fill in a new line; for the type of field, select from the list.
  4. Save the topic.

Example: WebFormTemplate from the TWiki.Know web
| *Name* | *Type* | *Size* | *Values* | *Tooltip message* |
| Know.TopicClassification | select | 1 | Know.NoDisclosure, 
  Know.PublicSupported, Know.PublicFAQ | blah blah... |
| Know.OperatingSystem | checkbox | 3 | Know.OsHPUX, Know.OsLinux,
  Know.OsSolaris, Know.OsWin | blah blah... |
| Know.OsVersion | text | 16 | | blah blah... |

Name Type Size Values Tooltip message
TopicClassification? select 1 NoDisclosure?, PublicSupported?, PublicFAQ? blah blah...
OperatingSystem? checkbox 3 OsHPUX?, OsLinux?, OsSolaris?, OsWin? blah blah...
OsVersion? text 16   blah blah...

Defining a Form with Multiple Topics

The Form Template can also be defined in an alternative way by using more then one topic:

Example: WebFormTemplate

Enabling Forms by Web

Forms are enabled on a per web basis. The WEBFORMS variable in WebPreferences is optional and defines a list of possible Form Templates. Example:

Including Forms in New Topics

When you create a new topic in a web that has the WEBFORMS Preferences variable set, an Add Form button appears at the bottom of the page. You can start all new topics with forms enabled, and pre-select a form if there's more than one available:

  1. Edit the WebTopicEditTemplate topic, adding the name of an available Form.
  2. Create a new topic to check - the Form should appear with values set.
    • Click Change to switch or remove Forms.

A form embedded in a topic also appears in a new topic. This is done by specifying the formtemplate parameter in the URL.

Setting Up Multiple Form Options

Form Template Data Storage

The Form Template topic name, fields and values are stored as Meta Data. The order of field/value pairs in the Meta Data is the same as in the Template.

-- JohnTalintyre - 16 Aug 2001