HTML, XHTML & CSS

Chapter 14: Working with Forms
The whole point of a form is to gather values associated with input controls,
so how you set the name and value for each control is important. The following
sections explain how you should work with names and values for each of
the input controls.
The input element (and by extension, the empty tag) is the
major player when it comes to using HTML forms to solicit user input. Inside
the input element is where you define the kinds of input you want to collect,
and how you package and present the input fields and cues you present to
users so they can give you what you’re asking for.
Input fields
You can use a variety of input fields in your forms, such as text, password,
radio buttons/check boxes, hidden, and more. Not all fields require values for
name and type attributes (for example, text box or password fields), but it’s
a good idea to provide users with explanatory labels and examples of input
data any time they might have questions about formats — as when pondering
whether or not to include dashes or spaces in credit card or telephone
numbers. Check boxes and radio buttons, on the other hand, require such
information so they can be properly labeled when the browser shows users
what selections are available.
For input elements that require a user to select an option (a check box or
radio button) rather than typing something into a field, you define both the
name and the value. When the user selects a check box or a radio button and
then clicks the Submit button, the form returns the name and value assigned
to the element.
We discuss these two types of input fields in the upcoming section, “Check
boxes and radio buttons.”
Text fields
Text fields are single-line fields in which users type information. When you
need to offer the user the opportunity to fill in more than one line, you use a
text box, as we discuss in the upcoming section, “Multiline text boxes.”
Here’s how to create a single-line text field:
1. Define the input type as a text field by using the element
with the type attribute set to text.
2. Then use the name attribute to give the input field a name.
The user supplies the value when she types in the field.
227