autopopulate input fields

[Darren]

Hi there.

I am a hobbyist with no formal background in computer programming.
Although years ago I’ve dabbled with a bit of the Microsoft QBasic and
very simple MS-DOS batch files, javascript is new to me and after about
2-3 weeks of googling, javascript is still clear as mud.

I have been tinkering with a form and have developed a working
calculator with the help of a excel add-in, which exports excel formulas
to html/javascript code. Everything works fine but I would like to add a
bit of functionality to the program. As it stands right now, all the
form field values must be entered in manually. A lot of the values that
would be entered would be preset for long periods. I would like to load
the preset plan names and values into a configuration file and through a
javascript dropdown menu system (CooljsMenu), auto-populate the form
fields with the preset values once a plan is selected.
What I hope to accomplish in the final product is:

1) Retrieve plan information from an external configuration file - (all
files local)
2) Populate a drop down menu system using the plan names from that
configuration file - (about 50 plans)
3) Auto populate form fields with plan characteristics when a plan is
selected from the drop down menu. - (about 6 values per plan)

This is all way over my head right now and this project is just a hobby
that I would like to complete. Any suggestions, tips, guidance, links to
resource information would be greatly appreciated.

I really have no idea where to start.

Thanks,
Darren

[McKirahan]

"Darren" <gu***@it.comwrote in message
news:dPdSi.82120$1y4.28837@pd7urf2no...

Hi there.

I am a hobbyist with no formal background in computer programming.
Although years ago I’ve dabbled with a bit of the Microsoft QBasic and
very simple MS-DOS batch files, javascript is new to me and after about
2-3 weeks of googling, javascript is still clear as mud.

I have been tinkering with a form and have developed a working
calculator with the help of a excel add-in, which exports excel formulas
to html/javascript code. Everything works fine but I would like to add a
bit of functionality to the program. As it stands right now, all the
form field values must be entered in manually. A lot of the values that
would be entered would be preset for long periods. I would like to load
the preset plan names and values into a configuration file and through a
javascript dropdown menu system (CooljsMenu), auto-populate the form
fields with the preset values once a plan is selected.
What I hope to accomplish in the final product is:

1) Retrieve plan information from an external configuration file - (all
files local)
2) Populate a drop down menu system using the plan names from that
configuration file - (about 50 plans)
3) Auto populate form fields with plan characteristics when a plan is
selected from the drop down menu. - (about 6 values per plan)

This is all way over my head right now and this project is just a hobby
that I would like to complete. Any suggestions, tips, guidance, links to
resource information would be greatly appreciated.

I really have no idea where to start.

Are you still monitoring this thread?

Who is your audience? That is, will this run over the Internet for
multiple users or is just for yourself and, therefore, could be a
standalone application? What is the real purpose of this project?