Form Builder Project

[imstillatwork]

I am working on a form builder project in my free time.
What it does is build html forms for adding and editing database info. It builds the form based on an xml file that you create that describes the form fields and the table that you're working with.

With one set of core files, you can edit,add, delete, and view table data. It works on any table, just make a xml file for that table / form.

It handles file uploads and image resizing too.

Most of the sites I work on are virtually all back end tools for the client to keep contents of the site fresh, so I thought I should figure out a faster way to build forms.

If anyone is interested in seeing the code, and offering suggestions / making changes, please let me know. It's a little too much to post here as text.

I am looking for ways to imrove it, and make it better. I have spend only a few hours building it, and it needs to be polished, so I am looking for some insight on what to do with it next.

Who's up for it?

Kevin

http://www.lot-o-nothin.com/cfml/

Phase 1: Read the CFML Reference
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

 

[imstillatwork]

more info

http://www.lot-o-nothin.com/form/

Kevin

http://www.lot-o-nothin.com/cfml/

Phase 1: Read the CFML Reference
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

 

[imstillatwork]

In case I didn't make it clear, what this will allow you to do is deploy forms to edit, update, delete, and add data to a database, including uploading files and photos in a matter of minutes for any table.





Kevin

http://www.lot-o-nothin.com/cfml/

Phase 1: Read the CFML Reference
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

 

[johnwm]

I'd be interested in taking a look. I'm dropping you an email at your website contact address

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[GUJUm0deL]

imstillatwork, I just looked at the form on

http://www.lot-o-nothin.com/form/

but it doesn't seem to work (for me anyways). I just tried editing records and adding a new one and nothing. Do have the edits/add feature enabled? Or is this just a demo where you can view records but can't make updates/adds?

All in all, very nice technique.


____________________________________
Just Imagine.

http://www.imajinarts.com

 

[TamedTech]

I like the concept of building forms quickly, i know only too well what a pain it is phaphing around with tables and suchlike.

I'm just wondering as to how effective it really is, even with the tool you still spend alot of time placing together XML code which isn't all that compact in comparison to the standard html version.

Now a feature I would love to see in this, is the percs of CFFORM but without the hangups, like i love the fact that when using flash based forms that organise themselves properly without having to do all the work, so you get an attractive form without having to draw tables.

Secondly i love the validation ascpect of flash and XML based CFFORM, i've got a great CFC written by a chap from easycfm.com which validates all my HTML based forms, it might be worth looking into some form of incorperation.

I like the idea alot Kevin, I'm just not sure that there is all that much of a saving when it comes to coding the form. (although maybe i'm wrong).

I'd like to see a few other benfits of using the XML method to increase the feature set a little, then you'd have a great altenative to people that dont like CFFORM or are running a pre-MX build of coldfusion.

Nice work though, i've only just started looking at XML, i'm starting to see the potential it can have.

Rob

 

[imstillatwork]

if it was't working, i must have been changing somethng. I spent a few minutes on it yesterday.

As far as saving time consider that this:

<field>
<name>Date</name>
<fieldname dataType="date" maxlength="45">name</fieldname>
<formtype required="Yes">text</formtype>
</field>

will validate the form field, return a nioce message to the form if not valid, allow updates, inserts, deletes to the row.

and something like this:
<field>
<name>File Upload</name>
<fieldname dataType="varchar" maxlength="45">fileupload</fieldname>
<uploadpath>../form/</uploadpath>
<formtype required="No">file</formtype>
<resize>
<prefix>med_</prefix>
<size>0,280</size>
</resize>
<resize>
<prefix>sm_</prefix>
<size>120,90</size>
</resize>
</field>

Will allow all the same, plus file uploads to a specified path and image resizing with prefixes and sizes of your choice.

So this isn't a form that dies as soon as you put in bad data like so many back end tools are.

This could be deployed in literaly a matter of minutes, even for large forms.

I would like to add features like grouping, and other things too, maybe even optional flash forms, but this is such an early concept that I wanted to make sure I was headed in the right direction and see what other people though.





Kevin

http://www.lot-o-nothin.com/cfml/

Phase 1: Read the CFML Reference
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!