How to Write Your Own ASP for Your Forms Dreamweaver MX

Any web form requires server-side processing.

Any form on a website, whether created in Dreamweaver or any other web development program, is contained within a Form tag (<form> </form>). The distinguishing feature of ASP forms is that they are added to the ends of HTML tags. Dreamweaver MX (version 6.1) form design is easier by using templates for pages that require user interaction. All forms depend on the web server to be processed and sent back to the website owner. ASP and other scripting languages, (javascript, php) provide these server-side instructions.

Things You'll Need

• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Familiarity with HTML code
• Basics of asp.net

Instructions

1. Create a new file. Click "File," "New" in Dreamweaver and choose "HTML." Choose the "Design" view to see just the document space; chose code and view for both code and design views simultaneously. Forms are denoted by red dotted lines.

2. Create a heading by selecting "Heading 1" in the "Format" "Properties" box at the bottom of the screen. Type a greeting on the page and select the "Center" style in the "Properties" section.

3. Proceed down several lines, realign to the left and click "Insert," "Form" from the drop-down menu. Insert the cursor in the dotted box that now appears and click "Insert," "Form" and choose "Text area" from the drop-down menu.

4. Provide an "ID" and "Label" for this field in the box that appears and set the "Tab Index" to "1." Click "OK."

5. Repeat Step 3 for the next and additional fields, but change the "Text Field" the "ID" and "Label" descriptions for each additional one. Set the "Tab Index" to "2."

6. Create a radio button. Repeat Step 3 for a new field, but choose "Button" instead of "Text Area." Set the "Tab Index" to "3," and don't enter anything in any "ID" or "Label."

7. Place the cursor below the dotted form area and type your contact name and any other information desired. Change the view to "Code" and edit the "action=" in the form identification section, adding the email forwarding method obtained from your web host. Save the form and upload to your web host.

Tips & Warnings

• A building block of an ASP.NET page is the application logic: the actual code behind the scene that causes the page to function. You need to grasp the concept of events, the ASP.NET controls, so that when one of these actions is performed, the control will trigger an event. Otherwise, checking boxes, scrolling a list, selecting an item in and of themselves do nothing. It is by handling these events with ASP.NET code that the pages work to everyone's benefit.

References

• Sitepoint: ASP Web Forms
• Smartwebby: Dreamweaver ASP Templates

Resources

• ASP: Learning ASP.Net