Re: HTML+ and automated forms

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Date: Mon, 27 Jun 1994 23:01:18 +0200
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From: Christian L. Mogensen <mogens@CS.Stanford.EDU>
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Subject: Re: HTML+ and automated forms
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Alastair Aitken CLMS writes:

> At the moment field inputs to forms is very limited.  The browsers don't
> handle them very well - <return> does not move from field to field
> terminating each input and moving the cursor to the next field. 

This is a browser characteristic and has nothing to do with HTML.
There is an XResource you can set to enable tabbing from field to field,
but I have lost it's name (damn spring cleaning).  Anyone care to 
enlighten us?

> structure definition and may become very complicated.  This "lookup"
> facility would provide the potential for data validation and verification
> without recourse to the server but would lead to deeper more massive forms.

And more massive browsers.  Adding more complexity to the clients
is not really necessary - getting them to do forms at all is 
hard enough.

> specification and if I am please point me at it.  I have not found a
> standard for automated forms yet but believe this is might be crucial to
> HTML. 

??? Are you thinking of something like the Borland wossname for MS-Windows?
The forms generator/event-driven programming thingy with the event
trees and simple IF/THEN rules etc? 
I don't think HTML needs to grow _that_ complex. Object-something?
Bundled with Crystal Reports?

> Automated forms?  Anyone?

Better to build forms that interface to server automation.
Making the client responsible for maintaining all the lookup tables
(the whole ISBN catalog?) isn't a win.

> Al. <-:< (zpalastair@grid.unl.ac.uk)
> (Wearing a seat belt in case I fall off my seat!)

Good idea.  Wear a helmet too, just in case.  You never know when the
ceiling might fall down...

Christian "Making Automating Perl scripts"