XForms EssentialsThe use of forms on the web is so commonplace that most user interactions involve some type of form. XForms--a combination of XML and forms--offers a powerful alternative to HTML-based forms. By providing excellent XML integration, including XML Schema, XForms allows developers to create flexible, web-based user-input forms for a wide variety of platforms, including desktop computers, handhelds, information appliances, and more. XForms Essentials is an introduction and practical guide to the new XForms specification. Written by Micah Dubinko, a member of the W3C XForms working group and an editor of the specification, the book explains the how and why of XForms, showing readers how to take advantage of them without having to write their own code. You'll learn how to integrate XForms with both HTML and XML vocabularies, and how XForms can simplify the connection between client-based user input and server-based processing. XForms Essentials begins with a general introduction to web forms, including information on history and basic construction of forms. The second part of the book serves as a reference manual to the XForms specification. The third section offers additional hints, guidelines, and techniques for working with XForms. Topics covered in the book include:
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Contents
Introduction to Web Forms | 1 |
The Past Present and Future of Web Forms | 2 |
A Brief Review of HTML Forms | 3 |
Limitations of HTML Forms Advantages of XForms | 12 |
The History of XForms | 14 |
The Revenge of the Simple Syntax | 17 |
XForms Building Blocks | 19 |
A RealWorld Example | 20 |
The XForms User Interface | 91 |
Interaction with Instance Data | 107 |
Grouping | 108 |
Dynamic Presentation | 109 |
Repeating Line Items | 110 |
Actions and Events | 114 |
XForms Actions | 119 |
XForms Events | 126 |
Host Language Issues | 32 |
Linking Attributes | 33 |
XPath in XForms | 35 |
Getting Up to Speed with XPath | 36 |
The XPath Data Model | 37 |
Location Paths | 40 |
Computed Expressions | 44 |
How XPath is Used in XForms | 60 |
XML Schema in XForms | 64 |
Useful Datatypes | 69 |
Other Datatypes | 76 |
An Email Datatype for XForms | 77 |
Complex Types | 78 |
xsiitype | 79 |
The XForms Model | 80 |
Structural Elements | 81 |
Common Attributes | 83 |
Model Item Properties | 84 |
Making the ConnectionBinding | 88 |
Submit | 137 |
What to Submit | 138 |
Where and How to Submit | 140 |
What Happens After Submit? | 148 |
Submission Options | 150 |
Security and Privacy Concerns | 151 |
Styling XForms | 152 |
Form Accessibility Design and Troubleshooting | 162 |
Basics of Accessibility | 163 |
Form Design Patterns | 164 |
XFormsspecific Design Hints | 169 |
Troubleshooting Stubborn Readonly Controls | 174 |
Making the Switch to XForms | 176 |
Extending XForms | 178 |
Ways to Extend | 179 |
Examining Microsoft InfoPath | 185 |
The GNU Free Documentation License | 194 |
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Common terms and phrases
application/xml binding attributes binding expression boolean browser Bubbles Cancelable Chapter characters child elements contains context node copy default Defined design pattern display element node Event Event type Event target element example returns Figure form authors form control form data set format function IDREF includes InfoPath insert instance data Invariant Sections label License line item match Microsoft InfoPath model item properties namespace nodes navigation needed node-set O'Reilly operands option Parameters possible processing QName read-only regular expression rendered result Return type rules Sample markup script serialization server setvalue string style submission element submit syntax tion trigger upload URI scheme user interface valid X-Smiles XForms Actions XForms Model XForms processor XForms specification XHTML code XML data XML Events XML namespaces XML Schema datatype XPath data model XPath expression XPointer XSL-FO XSLT Yes Event target