Forms and Form Data

Annotated Example

#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use CGI;
use strict;

# Create a perlCGI object.  It automatically picks up any arguments on
# the incoming URL.

my $query = new CGI;

# Create a header, and let it default arguments, it likely knows
# better then we do.

print $query->header();  

# Start the body of our document, and give it a title (shows up on the
# browser bar and on printouts).  All the legal fields within the HTML
# "BODY" tag are supported, and are optional.  Other unsupported
# options can be specified as well, and will be correctly added.  Note
# that there is nothing actually in the body tag, just HTML modifiers
# being specified.

print $query->start_html({-title=>'Form Test One...',
			  -author=>'Bill Kilgallon'});

print $query->hr();

# Indicate we are creating a form.
# For this example, everything defaults.  We will flesh it out later.
# print $query->startform({-method=>'post'});
print $query->startform({-method=>'get'});

# Generate a text box for data entry
# Render it regardless of if we have previously entered text or not.
print $query->h1('Please enter some text');
print $query->textfield({-name=>'TextfieldOne',
			 -default=>'Enter your text here',
			 -size=>50,
			 -maxlength=>100});

print $query->endform();

# Now conditionally report what the user typed in previously.

# If this is not the first time into the script...
if ($query->param()) {
    # Extract out whatever the contents of our field were.
    my $textInput = $query->param(-name=>'TextfieldOne');

    # Generate our output
    print $query->hr();
    print $query->p('The text you previously entered was:'), $query->br();
    print $query->em({-align=>'center'}, $textInput);
    print $query->hr();
}

# And finally, end the document.

print $query->end_html;