Need coding assistance...

[Lyte]

Howdy!

I hope someone can help me with this one.

I don't know how to write the HTML that will create a little box/square in which people can type their name and email address so they can receive emails.

I need help creating that box/square/area and some guidence on just how this info would be/should be get captured once they fill in the informtion!

I'm trying to create a mailing list.

Many thanks in advance!

Lyte

 

[user-7256]

Hi,

What you want is this:

<input type="text" size="40" maxlength="35" name="email_address">

That will make a simple textbox, 40 characters long, and with a maximum input of only 35 characters with the name "email_address" (becomes a PHP variable when processed.)

For a textarea...

<textarea cols="30" rows="4" name="message_body"></textarea>

That makes a textarea 30 characters wide, and 4 rows of text high with the name "message_body". You can put stuff between the tags to add a value to them, and for the textBOX... add...

value="text here"

that will add "text here" to the textbox.

Cheers,
-Matt

 

[Lyte]

Hey XP,

Thanks for the html assist! :tu:

Now, when someone types info into those boxes.... where does it go???

I need what you've given and some way of capturing the information. How do I do that???

Thanks again!

Lyte

 

[user-7256]

Hm, so are you a newbie to PHP?

There's some tutorials out there... http://www.google.com - Google it

 

[Rudy]

Hey Lyte - as we're talking in the chat room right now, I'm not going to go into much detail, but for others sake, here goes:

You'll need a MySQL database, and I recommend using PHP. PHP is the programming language that will enable you to build the "program" for your users to actually signup for the mailing list.

It is what you'll use to write the functionality of actually processing the email address someone types into the input text box that XP mentioned above, and stick it into the mysql database.

Some good resources are www.php.net for the php manual, and the MySQL site for the sql manual.

 

[Gene]

You do NOT need a MySQL database... in fact, it's highly unusual to use a database for a simple form submit. Here is what you need:

Download "FormMail.pl" from Matt's Scripts. Tried and trusted form processor for many years.

Put the file in your cgi bin, after you edit it slightly with your domain info etc.

Now for the form... here is a simple one as a sample. Just plug it into your html page:

<table border="1" width="200" cellspacing="1">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<form method=POST action="http://www.-------.com/cgi-bin/FormMail.pl">
<p align="center">
<b>Email:</b> <input type="text" name="email" size="30">
<input type="submit" value="Submit" name="B1">
</p>
</form></td>
</tr>
</table>

As you can see, the form sends the submitted information to the FormMail.pl program, which sends the input data to the appropriate recipient (the 'recipient' email addy needs to be added above... see installation details).

That's all there is to it. You'll get more installation/configuration detail at the download site.

 

[user-7256]

You DON'T want a Pearl or CGI script. USE PHP. It's MUCH more widely used and quite simple.

 

[Cobalt]

You do NOT need a MySQL database... in fact, it's highly unusual to use a database for a simple form submit. Here is what you need:

Download "FormMail.pl" from Matt's Scripts. Tried and trusted form processor for many years.

Put the file in your cgi bin, after you edit it slightly with your domain info etc.

Now for the form... here is a simple one as a sample. Just plug it into your html page:



As you can see, the form sends the submitted information to the FormMail.pl program, which sends the input data to the appropriate recipient.

That's all there is to it. You'll get more installation/configuration detail at the download site.

Go with the formMail.pl I have used it on a lot of websites including our schools for a project. I highly recommend this and its very easy, but yet gets the job done in a very professional way.

 

[Gene]

You DON'T want a Pearl or CGI script. USE PHP. It's MUCH more widely used and quite simple.

Sorry, but that's poor advice. PHP is not more widely used for this purpose. FormMail has been a trusted industry mainstay for many years with millions of users. It's still my preferred form processor for many reasons including security. For most applications I prefer PHP over CGI, but in this case, FormMail wins.

 

[user-7256]

MANY MORE people have written their own, quick PHP mail script. It's EASIER in PHP (one line) and FAST, and most SUPPORTED. Downloading somebody else's work to do your job without any or hardly and tweaking is what I call "dirty coding".

 

[Gene]

MANY MORE people have written their own, quick PHP mail script.

And you know this... how? For every one person who is able to write their own code, there are a hundred who rely on premade scripts.
.

It's EASIER in PHP (one line) and FAST

Agreed, IF you know how to write your own code. Most web site owners don't.
.

Downloading somebody else's work to do your job without any or hardly and tweaking is what I call "dirty coding".

What the heck does that mean? What's 'dirty' about it? I'd rather read a book than write it. I'd rather drive a car than build it. I'd rather take advantage of someone else's expertise in coding than spend weeks/months learning it for a simple task. If that's dirty, I need a shower badly

 

[user-7256]

Well, using somebody else's code is just like ... laziness.

 

[Eric]

Well, using somebody else's code is just like ... laziness.

:bah: Not everyone knows how to code. I bet you used someone esle's code long before you started learning..and could.. code.

 

[user-7256]

Hm... no... can't remember I ever have. Well, yeah, I've used IPB but only a 1/3 ratio. I've written 3 forums from scratch for every 1 installed forum system I've used. But those are LARGE projects. Not any standard programmer has the resources or time to make them.

Also, about the car that you like driving, Gene, they take LOTS of resources to make. No citizen alone could PRACTICALLY (with practicality) make their own car... efficiently and easily like a whole manufacturing plant. That point is void since it's not the same as programming a simple 1-line code.

 

[Gene]

Well, using somebody else's code is just like ... laziness.

I see, so there is no place in your world for commercially sold scripts.
.
.
Back to the topic at hand. Lyte, have you found what you're looking for?

 

[user-7256]

Fine. Ignore my other post <_< that makes your LAST comment void too...

Lyte, I'll write one for you...

 

[Gene]

Fine. Ignore my other post <_< that makes your LAST comment void too...

XP, look at the time imprint. I was writing my last reply as you were posting yours. I posted, then went on to another string. I don't 'ignore' anyone.

This is not the place to be thumping your chest. This is Lyte's string... let's keep it that way.

 

[user-7256]

Hence the reason I added the second part about "I'll write that script for you".

I don't want to argue

 

[Amnezia]

If no one ever used anyone elses source code we'd all still be writing out programs in assembley code

The whole point of having an open source community is so that people dont have to write programs from scratch everytime

If i find a piece of code that does what i need and that i can legally use them im gonna use it. I'm not fussed that i didnt write every single line of it. Time is money.

You may say lazy, but i say efficient.

 

[Lyte]

Back to the topic at hand. Lyte, have you found what you're looking for?

I think so... I hope so... I don't know! :o :lol: I've not had a chance to apply any of this information to practice on the site. I think today I'll have some free time.

I am one of those web masters who doesn't know how to code or does so in a very small way. And too, I have no desire to learn a whole friggin' program (PHP) just to take advantage of one application (gathering emails). I just don't have that kinda time or energy or interest! :bah:

Many thanks to all of you for your input! :tu: I'll update the thread as soon as I get something applied to the site! I'll appreciate the feedback!

Lyte