CS 328 - Week 4 Lecture 2 - 2016-02-10

A Selection of HTML form elements and form controls, continued

*   submit button ONLY submits info from form
    controls IN the form containing that submit
    button!!!

*   textfields:
    input elements with type="text"

    *   use for single-line, free-form

    *   SHOULD have a name attribute!

        ...and when its form is submitted,
	you'll get 

	name=<whatever's typed in textfield then>

    *   initially blank UNLESS you include
        an attribute value whose value is
	the desired initial text

	value="Type name here"

    *   numerous additional optional attributes...
        such as size (how wide to DISPLAY textfield,
	              in "approx" characters)
		and maxlength - max characters CAN 
                      in 

*   aside: label element lets you logically
    associate text with a form control

    *   IMPORTANT for accessibility
    *   CONVENIENT for better-usability

    *   two syntaxes for the label element:

        <label> desired-label-text-and
                desired-control-in-either-order </label>

        <label class="blah" for="desiredElement">
            LabelText:</label>
        ...
        <input type="text" name="oof" id="desiredElement" />
        
*   input elements CAN have a required="required"
    attribute
    (for strict HTML5, all attributes must have
    values...)

*   radio buttons!
    *   good for making EXACTLY ONE of a relatively
        small number of exact choices
    *   input elements whose type="radio"
    *   to get them logically grouped,
        give them the same name attribute value
    *   indicate that radio buttons desired
        value with its value attribute
    *   to indicate WHICH should be initially
        selected, use (strict-style) checked="checked"
    
*   checkboxes!
    *   good for making ZERO OR MORE of a relatively
        small number of exact choices
    *   input element whose type="checkbox"
    *   each checkbox SHOULD have a unique name
    *   use checked="checked" for each checkbox
        you'd like to appear as initially checked --
	use this for GOOD and NOT EVIL!!!
    *   note this ONLY sends a name=value pair
        for a checkbox checked at the time
	of submission

*   drop-down box - select element
    *   by default, it is select-exactly-one of
        potentially-many options
    *   (can have multiple="multiple" to allow user
        to select multiple values at a time

    <select name="desired_value">
        <option value="whatever"> text that shows </option>
        <option value="whatever"
                selected="selected" > text that initially
                                      shows </option>
        <option value="whatever"> text that shows </option>
        ...
    </select>