On Webserve at IU, how can I create a form?

For information about using HTML to create a web form, consult any good HTML reference book or one of the many HTML tutorials on the web. At Indiana University, you can also take a STEPS class through IT Training & Education. Alternately, you can use an HTML editing program such as Dreamweaver to create forms. However, not all of the features of such programs are supported on IU's central web server, Webserve.

Once you have created the HTML page containing your form, you can use one of several methods to have the web server process it. If you have an account on Webserve (www.indiana.edu, www.iub.edu, www.iupui.edu, www.iun.edu, or www.iuk.edu), you can use the form-handling software Transform. This tool makes it unnecessary to write your own Perl or CGI script, and offers a number of features that enable you to customize your output and handle the data collected by the form. The IU Webmaster maintains the following helpful documents:

• Quick Guide for Writing Forms Using Transform 3.0
• Web Forms with Transform 3.0: The Users' Guide

You can also write your own CGI or Perl script to handle the action for your form. For instructions, see Executing CGI Scripts.

You may be able to create a form and use a mailto: form action statement, although this may not work well with all browsers.

Comments/Questions/Corrections