Web Form Flow

Some WebApp-s, esp Enterprise apps, use lots of inter-connected Web Forms.

Do you make people view a record, then hit an Edit button?

Should a create or edit return HTML, or redirect to a function that does generates that HTML?

If you try to combine a create form and an edit form, with lots of bits of logic to fill in the current values (in case of edit), are you going to end up driving yourself crazy?

Does your Template System have an easy way to generate a pulldown/picklist from a reference table, matching the current value? (and supporting null) And will its use in editing allow you to change a field value from some old specific value to null?

Model View Controller model?

Form Encode is a validation and form generation package. The validation can be used separately from the form generation. The validation works on compound data structures, with all parts being nestable. It is separate from HTTP or any other input mechanism.

Some bits I've just written for our internal rules

Core of name:

• Start with a noun, probably matching the associated Data Base table: Clients (not Accounts), Caregivers, Groups, etc.

• Then a verb

  • for fairly generic functions on base tables, stick to: List, Create (not Add or Insert), Edit (not Update)

  • for more complex workflow operations, consider using the terms from existing wiki User Story pages: e.g. Assign Base Station To Client story could turn into 'Base Station Assign To Client' or 'Client Base Station Assign'

The same object should hold both a form and the method it posts to. 'if request.hasKey("action"):...'

List objects should be able to (a) list all (in groups of 25) or (b) present the results of a simple query - 'if request.hasKey("client_id"):...'