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]

Re: Getting user input into JavaScript

Hi,

Don W. wrote:[color=blue]
> 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.[/color]

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

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

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

document.formNa me.elementName
document.formNa me.elements[ "elementNam e" ]
document.formNa me.elements[ index ]

or other variations.

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

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

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

<URL:
http://devedge.netscap e.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.]

Re: Getting user input into JavaScript

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("us er_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_S PAM.ch> wrote in
message news:bm2s94$dvh $1@rex.ip-plus.net...[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> Don W. wrote:[color=green]
> > Is it possible to open a browser window from a javascript for the[/color][/color]
purpose of[color=blue][color=green]
> > 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.[/color]
>
> A form can be reached through different syntaxes, for example:
>
> document.formNa me
> document.forms[ "formName" ]
> document.forms[ index ] (not recommended)
>
> Once you have the Form object, you can access the elements with
>
> document.formNa me.elementName
> document.formNa me.elements[ "elementNam e" ]
> document.formNa me.elements[ index ]
>
> or other variations.
>
> Depending on the type of the element, you can access its value with:
>
> document.formNa me.elementName. value (for textfields, textareas)
> document.formNa me.elementName. checked (for checkboxes or single
> radiobuttons)
> document.formNa me.elementName[ index ].checked (for radiobutton groups)
>
> I recommend you to read the following for more information about this:
>
> <URL:
>[/color]
http://devedge.netscap e.com/library/manuals/2000/javascript/1.3/reference/form.html>[color=blue]
>
> 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
>[/color]

[Laurent Bugnion, GalaSoft]

Re: Getting user input into JavaScript

Hi,

Don W. wrote:
[color=blue]
> 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("us er_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.[/color]

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.
[color=blue]
> I don't like using this intermediate file. Do you know a better way?[/color]

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.docume nt.formName.tfU serName.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.t fUserName.value ;
// etc...
}

// In the pop-up:

<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="validate form"
ONCLICK="opener .validateForm(t his.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.]

Re: Getting user input into JavaScript

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

Don W.


"Laurent Bugnion, GalaSoft" <galasoft-LB@bluewin_NO_S PAM.ch> wrote in
message news:bm35so$ele $1@rex.ip-plus.net...[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> Don W. wrote:
>[color=green]
> > 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[/color][/color]
script[color=blue][color=green]
> > using something like this:
> > window.open("us er_input.htm") from within a script, then how can I[/color][/color]
retrieve[color=blue][color=green]
> > 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[/color][/color]
and[color=blue][color=green]
> > write the data to the file. I still need some way for the script to[/color][/color]
know[color=blue][color=green]
> > when to read the file.[/color]
>
> 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.
>[color=green]
> > I don't like using this intermediate file. Do you know a better way?[/color]
>
> 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.docume nt.formName.tfU serName.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.t fUserName.value ;
> // etc...
> }
>
> // In the pop-up:
>
> <INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="validate form"
> ONCLICK="opener .validateForm(t his.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
>[/color]