What is a webform?

Like the name says, its a form that a user fills in the web. Webforms are everywhere: in search browsers, login pages, surveys, registration forms, etc.

The webforms are necessary to have interaction in the web as they provide the way to retrieve data you need from your users. For example you can create a webform to know the user’s site comments, to give a service, to create an account, etc.

A webform consists of two parts:

  • HTML Page: A html page with the actual form. In here you can use textboxes, checkboxes, select fields, textareas, etc.
  • CGI Script: And a CGI script that will actually process the data sent via the html form.

Baboon Webforms does both things for you automatically.

HTML WebForm Fields

In your webform you can use different kind of fields depending on the kind of information you might need. For example if you need the user’s name you only need a line of text, but if you need a user’s comments then you need to give them a way to write a text in multiple lines.

In here we will list the available kind of fields, so when you create your webform with Baboon Webforms you know exactly what to select.

Field Types

Text Box
Is the normal one line text box.

Hidden Field
This field is invisible and the user never interacts with it. Its very useful for those cases when you need to pass hidden vars, like tracking ids.

Password
This kind of field is for typing in a password. Works just like a text box, with the difference that whatever is typed is not displayed in the screen (in case someone is watching over your shoulder or you have to leave the work station). Instead of showing what you typed in, the browser displays a series of asterisks (*), bullets (), or something to show that you are typing, but not what you are typing.

Checkboxes
The checkboxes can be either on or off, and are often used in groups to indicate a series of choices any one of which can be on or off.
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Sports
Politics
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Radio Buttons
The radio buttons are used to create a series of choices of which only one can be selected. The term “radio button” comes from the buttons for the radio in an automobile, where selecting one radio station automatically de-selects all the others.
Select a size?
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Select Field
Creates a list of options, one of which can be selected.

Textarea
A field where the user can enter large amounts of text. In most respects, works like a text box.
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