Getting user input into JavaScript

[Don W.]

Is it possible to open a browser window from a javascript for the purpose of
gathering user input on a form and then use data from the form in the
javascript? How do you get the data from the form into the script?

Don W.

[Laurent Bugnion, GalaSoft]

Hi,

Don W. wrote:

Is it possible to open a browser window from a javascript for the purpose of
gathering user input on a form and then use data from the form in the
javascript? How do you get the data from the form into the script?

Don W.

A form can be reached through different syntaxes, for example:

document.formName
document.forms[ "formName" ]
document.forms[ index ] (not recommended)

Once you have the Form object, you can access the elements with

document.formName.elementName
document.formName.elements[ "elementName" ]
document.formName.elements[ index ]

or other variations.

Depending on the type of the element, you can access its value with:

document.formName.elementName.value (for textfields, textareas)
document.formName.elementName.checked (for checkboxes or single
radiobuttons)
document.formName.elementName[ index ].checked (for radiobutton groups)

I recommend you to read the following for more information about this:

<URL:
http://devedge.netscape.com/library/manuals/2000/javascript/1.3/reference/form.html>

HTH,

Laurent
--
Laurent Bugnion, GalaSoft
Webdesign, Java, javascript: http://www.galasoft-LB.ch
Private/Malaysia: http://mypage.bluewin.ch/lbugnion
Support children in Calcutta: http://www.calcutta-espoir.ch

[Don W.]

Thank you for taking the time to provide me with all that information!

I may not have been clear in my question. If I open a window from a script
using something like this:
window.open("user_input.htm") from within a script, then how can I retrieve
the data from a form in user_input.htm?

The only way I can find to do this is to open a file in user_input.htm and
write the data to the file. I still need some way for the script to know
when to read the file.

I don't like using this intermediate file. Do you know a better way?

Don W.
"Laurent Bugnion, GalaSoft" <galasoft-LB@bluewin_NO_SPAM.ch> wrote in
message news:bm**********@rex.ip-plus.net...

Hi,

Don W. wrote:

Is it possible to open a browser window from a javascript for the purpose of gathering user input on a form and then use data from the form in the
javascript? How do you get the data from the form into the script?

Don W.
A form can be reached through different syntaxes, for example:

document.formName
document.forms[ "formName" ]
document.forms[ index ] (not recommended)

Once you have the Form object, you can access the elements with

document.formName.elementName
document.formName.elements[ "elementName" ]
document.formName.elements[ index ]

or other variations.

Depending on the type of the element, you can access its value with:

document.formName.elementName.value (for textfields, textareas)
document.formName.elementName.checked (for checkboxes or single
radiobuttons)
document.formName.elementName[ index ].checked (for radiobutton groups)

I recommend you to read the following for more information about this:

<URL:

http://devedge.netscape.com/library/manuals/2000/javascript/1.3/reference/form.html>
HTH,

Laurent
--
Laurent Bugnion, GalaSoft
Webdesign, Java, javascript: http://www.galasoft-LB.ch
Private/Malaysia: http://mypage.bluewin.ch/lbugnion
Support children in Calcutta: http://www.calcutta-espoir.ch

[Laurent Bugnion, GalaSoft]

Hi,

Don W. wrote:

Thank you for taking the time to provide me with all that information!

I may not have been clear in my question. If I open a window from a script
using something like this:
window.open("user_input.htm") from within a script, then how can I retrieve
the data from a form in user_input.htm?

The only way I can find to do this is to open a file in user_input.htm and
write the data to the file. I still need some way for the script to know
when to read the file.
You couldn't do this anyway, since client-side JavaScript is not allowed
to write files, unless in certains special security conditions, and in
very specific (not cross-browser) ways.
I don't like using this intermediate file. Do you know a better way?

You can read the data in the pop-up with:

-------------------------------------------------
// In the main window

var g_wPopUp = open( ... );

// This method is called from the pop-up when
// the user presses the "Validate" button
function validateForm()
{
var strUserName = g_wPopUp.document.formName.tfUserName.value;
// etc...
}

// In the pop-up:

<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="validate form"
ONCLICK="opener.validateForm();">

-------------------------------------------------
Or even better:

// In the main window

var g_wPopUp = open( ... );

// This method is called from the pop-up when
// the user presses the "Validate" button
function validateForm( frmToValidate )
{
var strUserName = frmToValidate.tfUserName.value;
// etc...
}

// In the pop-up:

<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="validate form"
ONCLICK="opener.validateForm(this.form);">

-------------------------------------------------
HTH,

Laurent
--
Laurent Bugnion, GalaSoft
Webdesign, Java, javascript: http://www.galasoft-LB.ch
Private/Malaysia: http://mypage.bluewin.ch/lbugnion
Support children in Calcutta: http://www.calcutta-espoir.ch

[Don W.]

Thank you, that's just what I was looking for!

Don W.
"Laurent Bugnion, GalaSoft" <galasoft-LB@bluewin_NO_SPAM.ch> wrote in
message news:bm**********@rex.ip-plus.net...

Hi,

Don W. wrote:

Thank you for taking the time to provide me with all that information!

I may not have been clear in my question. If I open a window from a script using something like this:
window.open("user_input.htm") from within a script, then how can I retrieve the data from a form in user_input.htm?

The only way I can find to do this is to open a file in user_input.htm and write the data to the file. I still need some way for the script to know when to read the file.

You couldn't do this anyway, since client-side JavaScript is not allowed
to write files, unless in certains special security conditions, and in
very specific (not cross-browser) ways.

I don't like using this intermediate file. Do you know a better way?

You can read the data in the pop-up with:

-------------------------------------------------
// In the main window

var g_wPopUp = open( ... );

// This method is called from the pop-up when
// the user presses the "Validate" button
function validateForm()
{
var strUserName = g_wPopUp.document.formName.tfUserName.value;
// etc...
}

// In the pop-up:

<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="validate form"
ONCLICK="opener.validateForm();">

-------------------------------------------------
Or even better:

// In the main window

var g_wPopUp = open( ... );

// This method is called from the pop-up when
// the user presses the "Validate" button
function validateForm( frmToValidate )
{
var strUserName = frmToValidate.tfUserName.value;
// etc...
}

// In the pop-up:

<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="validate form"
ONCLICK="opener.validateForm(this.form);">

-------------------------------------------------
HTH,

Laurent
--
Laurent Bugnion, GalaSoft
Webdesign, Java, javascript: http://www.galasoft-LB.ch
Private/Malaysia: http://mypage.bluewin.ch/lbugnion
Support children in Calcutta: http://www.calcutta-espoir.ch