Creating Reusable Assets and Forms - New Perspectives on Adobe Dreamweaver CS5, Comprehensive - page 361

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7. Click the Target arrow, and then click _blank . See Figure 6-28.

Figure 6-28 Form attributes added to the form

selected form

form_test.html page saved
in the local ro o t folder

form at t ributes

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8. Save the page.

Adding Form Objects
You must add form objects to a form to make it useful. A form object is generally a
mechanism that enables users to interact with a form. Each form object has a specifi c
function:

• Text fi elds and text areas. A box into which a user can type input in a form. Text fi elds
are usually used for short-answer input. Text areas are usually used for long-answer
input. Text fi elds are displayed as a single-line box; text areas are displayed as a multiline
box. Both can accept either single or multiple lines of input. The input can be displayed
as typed or as a series of dots or asterisks to protect private information. For example, a
password typed into a browser window is usually displayed as a series of asterisks.
• Hidden fi elds. Fields used to include information in a form that will be sent along with
the form data to the server or designated processing location and which the user can-
not see. For example, you can use a hidden fi eld to send the name of the form with the
collected form data.
• Checkbox and checkbox group. A predefi ned toggle selection object in a form. Each
checkbox can be toggled “on (checked)” or “off (unchecked),” enabling the user to
check any number of items in a series of checkboxes. For example, you might use a
checkbox group to allow a user to select all the types of music he or she listens to.