Use HTML to create iput form?

[Daniel Raymer]

Still looking for a good way to input lots of data - is it possible to have my program write HTML form code and shoot it to some PB routine or third party add-on? Then, of course, I'd need a way to get the filled-out form data back into my program.

[Edwin Knoppert]

I sell a tool called PwrDev.
In the new-project dialog i have two templates.
One for frames and one for single dialog based.
On my home page you can still find an older test version of this (simple executable link).
Run, cklick set values, click submit and click home, this is a simple example, the values are obtained from html and kept in PowerBASIC variables.

While it's a PwrDev thing, the actual stuff can also be done with plain coding.
Depends on what you like of course.

[Michael Mattias]

Isn't that "CGI" code? (I'm not a "CGI" guy).

If so there should be a sample in your samples folder provided with the compiler.

[Knuth Konrad]

Repeat after me: HTML forms don't suit for (massive) data input. It's slow as hell and PITA for every user in terms of usability.

[Edwin Knoppert]

?

(..)

[Michael Mattias]

>Still looking for a good way to input lots of data

With PB/CC, what could you do to improve on the ease of use and concomitant data entry speed of LOCATE + LINE INPUT?

When LINE INPUT returns, you LOCATE at the next field on the screen and LINE INPUT again. Repeat until last field entered, save, refresh screen, go to field one.

???

Um, this *is* a 'user enters the data' application, right?

[Guy Dombrowski]

Data input

A better way is to use WAITKEY$ or INKEY$
You can validate each characters in real time and you can catch every keys and of course the mouse also.

[jcfuller]

Maybe this will give you some ideas.

James

[Mike Doty]

I render html within a browser and use a modified version of this.
Input forms can be created using html, but I don't like the slow routines.

#dim all 'inputcc.bas   
'
'this posting was some how deleted off forum so it was reposted 3/2/05
'
please post comments at: http://www.powerbasic.com/support/pb...ad.php?t=22364 
'

declare sub inputcc(inputallowed$,mask$,answer$,lastkey$,fillchar%)
function pbmain&
  dim phone$,amount$
  color 7,1,1
  cls
  print "inputcc (inputallowed$,mask$,answer$,lastkey$,fillchar%)
  print
  print "inputallowed$   keys allowed as input  0-9, a-z, a-z, yn, xx ,aa
  print "mask$           string displayed with embedded chr$(fillchar%)
  print "                mask$ can just be chr$(fillchar%) to fill in a form
  print "answer$         characters typed by user
  print "lastkey$        lastkey user pressed on exit
  print "fillchar%       characters replaced with input
  dim inputallowed$, mask$, answer$,lastkey$, fillchar%
  inputallowed$ = "0123456789"
  mask$ = "phone (___) ___-____"
  fillchar% = asc("_")
  locate 10,1  'where to begin
  call inputcc (inputallowed$,mask$,phone$,lastkey$,fillchar%)
  locate 10,29
  mask$ = "enter amount $ ____.__"
  call inputcc (inputallowed$,mask$,amount$,lastkey$,fillchar%)
  locate 12,1
  print "phone =  "phone$, "amount = "amount$
  waitkey$
end function

sub inputcc (inputallowed$,mask$,answer$,lastkey$,fillchar%)
    dim inputrow%, inputcolumn%, masklength%, cursorposition%
    if fillchar% = 0 then fillchar% = asc("_")
    inputrow% = cursory
    inputcolumn% = cursorx
    lastkey$ = "
    masklength% = len(mask$)
startinput:
    cursorposition% = 0
    answer$ = "
    locate inputrow%, inputcolumn%
    print mask$;
    if lastkey$ = chr$(27) then exit sub
continueinput:
    locate inputrow%, inputcolumn%
    cursorposition% = instr(cursorposition% + 1, mask$ + chr$(fillchar%), chr$(fillchar%))
    locate inputrow%,inputcolumn% + cursorposition - 1   'move right
    if cursorposition% > masklength% then
      gosub findcursorposition
      exit sub
    end if
getcharacter:
   lastkey$ = waitkey$         'release timeslices while waiting
   if instr(inputallowed$, lastkey$) then
      print lastkey$;
      answer$ = answer$ + lastkey$
      goto continueinput
   end if
   lastkey$ = right$(lastkey$, 1)
   on instr(chr$(8) + chr$(119) + chr$(13) + chr$(27), lastkey$) goto backspace, startinput, enterpressed, startinput
   if cursorposition% <= masklength% then goto getcharacter
exit sub
backspace:
   if len(answer$) = 0 then
      goto getcharacter
   else
      locate inputrow%, inputcolumn%
      answer$ = left$(answer$, len(answer$) - 1)
      locate inputrow%,inputcolumn% + cursorposition -1      'move left
      gosub findcursorposition
      print chr$(fillchar%);
      locate inputrow%, cursorx-1
      goto getcharacter
   end if
findcursorposition:
   cursorposition% = cursorposition% - 1
   locate inputrow%,cursorx-1
   if mid$(mask$, cursorposition%, 1) <> chr$(fillchar%) then goto findcursorposition
return
enterpressed:
end sub