Penn State University Libraries - Form Components

All forms are located in the Secure -> Forms folder under the University Libraries Home in the CMS.  Inside the Forms directory is a subfolder for each library and department. 

Note: You must first request access from the CMS team before working with Forms.  Also, you will only have access to the forms templates from a location within the Forms folder and you will only have access to the forms components from a forms template.

When you create a forms page, you will choose from one of two page templates specificially for forms, Forms Navigation or Forms Open.

The Form component defines the beginning and end of a new form on a page. Other components can then be placed in between these elements,such as tables, downloads, and so on.

To add a form to your page:

1. Drag a Form component onto your page.  All you will see are two blue edit bars: Start of Form and End of Form.
2. On the Start of Form bar, click Edit.
3. From the Form Start tab, choose the Action Type, "Mail". (See table below for details.) 
   
4. If several forms are used on a single page, use the Form Identifier field. The form identifier can uniquely identify the form.
5. Optional: If validation is required for this form, check the Client Validation checkbox. (This can be achieved in conjunction with the Forms Captcha component.)
   
6. Optional: If you would like to load predefined values into the form fields, use the Load Path field. This is an optional field that specifies the path to a node in the repository. When this node has properties that match the field names, then the appropriate fields on the form are preloaded with the value of those properties. If no match exists then the field contains the default value.
7. Click on the Action Configuaration tab.  These fields depend on which Action Type you choose.  (See table below for details.)
   
8. On the End of Form bar, click Edit.  You will see the Form End tab.
9. Check Show Submit Button.
10. Optional: If several forms are used on a single page, use the Submit Name field. This field can uniquely identify your submit button.
11. In the Submit Title field, enter the text you want on the submit button, eg. Submit, Enter, OK, or Send.
12. Optional: If you'd like a reset button to appear on your form, check Show Reset Button.
13. In the Reset Title field, enter the text you want on the reset button, eg. Reset or Clear.
14. Click OK.
15. Insert other desired forms components between the Start of Form and End of Form bars.

The Address Field component allows you to input an international address with the following fields: First Name, Last Name, Street Address 1, Street Address 2, Zip Code, City, and Country.

The component is configured for immediate use. Leaving fields empty will use default settings:

• Element Name: A unique identifier for the component.
• Title: A title for the component.
  
• Description: A description.
  

A Checkbox Group allows you to build a list of one of more checkboxes, several of which may be selected at the same time.

• Element Name: A unique identifier for the component.
• Title: A title for the component.
• Description: A description.
• Items: A list of checkbox items.  Using the + and - buttons you can add or remove items, then position them with the Up and Down buttons.
• Default Values (optional): A set of values checked by default.
• Required (optional): Makes the checkbox group required for form submission.
• Required Message (optional): Text for the error message if the checkbox group is required.
  

A Dropdown List component can be configured with your range of values for selection.

• Element Name: A unique identifier for the component.
• Title: A title for the component.
• Description: A description.
• Multi Selectable (optional): Allows multiple values to be selected.
• Items: A list of checkbox items.  Using the + and - buttons you can add or remove items, then position them with the Up and Down buttons.
• Default Values (optional): A set of values checked by default.
• Required (optional): Makes the checkbox group required for form submission.
• Required Message (optional): Text for the error message if the checkbox group is required.
• Width: Sets the width, in pixels, of the dropdown list.

A Radio Group component provides you with a list of one of more radio checkboxes, only one of which may be selected at any particular time.

• Element Name: A unique identifier for the component.
• Title: A title for the component.
• Description: A description.
• Items: A list of checkbox items.  Using the + and - buttons you can add or remove items, then position them with the Up and Down buttons.
• Default Value (optional): A value selected by default.
• Required (optional): Makes the checkbox group required for form submission.
• Required Message (optional): Text for the error message if the checkbox group is required.

The Text Field component can be used to configure a text field, of one or more lines, with your own lead in message:

• Element Name: A unique identifier for the component.
• Title: A title for the component.
• Description: A description.
• Property is a multi value (optional): Allows users to add additional text fields as needed.
• Only show value: Do not check this.
• Default Value (optional): A value input by default.
• Required (optional): Makes the checkbox group required for form submission.
• Required Message (optional): Text for the error message if the checkbox group is required.
• Constraint (optional): Validates the user input according to selected format: Date, Email, Name, or Numeric.
• Constraint Message (optional): Text for the error message if the user input does not match the constraint format.
• Size: Sets the size, in columns and rows, and width, in pixels, of the field.