XForms: Difference between revisions

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XForms is the W3C recommendation for creating Web-based forms.
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As opposed to the traditional HTML-based forms, XForms is XML-based and allows for the separation of presentation and content giving developers the ability to reuse forms for multiple platforms and devices (e.g. PDAs, cell phones, etc.)
== Definition ==
 
XForms is an official W3C recommendation for the data processing and presentation of forms.
 
As opposed to the traditional HTML-based forms, XForms is[[XML]]-based and allows for the separation of presentation and content giving developers the ability to reuse forms for multiple platforms and devices (e.g. PDAs, cell phones, etc.). From a [http://www.w3.org/2003/10/xforms-pressrelease W3C XForms press release]:


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* Device independence: user interface controls are abstract—that is, their generic features are the only thing indicated—so they can easily be delivered to different devices with different capabilities
* Device independence: user interface controls are abstract—that is, their generic features are the only thing indicated—so they can easily be delivered to different devices with different capabilities
* Accessibility: separation of presentation from content leaves information more readily available for users of assistive technologies; in addition, the user interface controls encapsulate all relevant metadata such as labels, thereby enhancing accessibility of the application when using different modalities.
* Accessibility: separation of presentation from content leaves information more readily available for users of assistive technologies; in addition, the user interface controls encapsulate all relevant metadata such as labels, thereby enhancing accessibility of the application when using different modalities.
}} - [http://www.w3.org/2003/10/xforms-pressrelease W3C XForms press release]
}}
 
 
Update (oct 2009). XForms may not survive, since the new HTML5 input forms just build on top of the older HTML format. It has to be seen whether XHTML5 implementations will include XForms ...
 
== Software ==
 
=== XForms processors ===
 
Currently the XForms standard is not supported by any browser natively, though plugins exist for Windows Internet Explorer and Firefox 2.0 [[User:Kalli|KBenetos]] 11:24, 30 January 2007 (MET) has not yet tested any of these plugins.
 
For further information on software support see for example [[Wikipedia:XForms#Software support |Wikipedia's XForms article]].
 
Here is an unsorted and really not representative list of some software:
 
Browser extensions:
* [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/xforms/ Firefox XForms extension]
* [http://www.formsplayer.com/ formsPlayer] for IE6+
 
Pure (portable) JavaScript processors:
* [http://www.formfaces.com/ FormFaces]
 
Flash-based processors:
* [http://claus.packts.net/deng/ DENG Modular XBrowser]
 
Other languages:
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenOffice.org OpenOffice.org] seems to have support
 
=== Other things ===
E.g. generators, filters, server-side technologies
 
* [http://www.orbeon.com/forms/builder Orbeon Form Builder]
* [http://chibaxforms.org/ Chiba]


Currently the XForms standard is not supported by any browser, though plugins exist for Windows Internet Explorer and Firefox 2.0 (a version of the plugin for Firefox 1.5 exists but is incompatible with any v1.5 updates).
== Links ==
[[User:Kalli|kalli]] 11:24, 30 January 2007 (MET) has not yet tested any of these plugins.


==Links==
=== XForms engines ===
* [http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-xformsfirefox/ XForms in Firefox] - a good intro to XForms and tutorial on installing and using XForms with Firefox.
* [http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-xformsfirefox/ XForms in Firefox] - a good intro to XForms and tutorial on installing and using XForms with Firefox.
=== Standards and bodies ===
* [http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/ The Forms Working Group at W3C]
* [http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/ The Forms Working Group at W3C]
* [http://www.w3.org/TR/xforms/ XForms 1.0]. Latest edition. The third edition was published in oct. 2007.
* [http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/2006/xforms-qr.html XForms Quick Reference]
* [http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/2003/xforms-faq.html Official XForms FAQ]
=== Tutorials and Introductions ===
* [http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/2003/xforms-for-html-authors.html XForms for HTML Authors]
* [http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/2003/xforms-for-html-authors.html XForms for HTML Authors]
* Kurt A. Cagle (2007). [http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-xformsxadventure/ Understanding XForms], Viewing and creating "Adventure" scenarios, IBM develooperWorks
* [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/XForms XForms Tutorial and Cookbook], a [http://en.wikibooks.org/ wikibook].
* [http://www.formsplayer.com/introduction-to-xforms Introduction to XForms], by Mark Birbeck
=== News ===
* [http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/ The Forms Working Group at W3C]
* [http://planetxforms.org/ Planet XForms]
[[Category: XML]]
[[Category: Standards]][[Category:web standards]]

Latest revision as of 12:55, 4 October 2009

Draft

Definition

XForms is an official W3C recommendation for the data processing and presentation of forms.

As opposed to the traditional HTML-based forms, XForms isXML-based and allows for the separation of presentation and content giving developers the ability to reuse forms for multiple platforms and devices (e.g. PDAs, cell phones, etc.). From a W3C XForms press release:


By splitting traditional HTML forms into three parts—XForms model, instance data, and the XForms user interface—XForms cleanly separates presentation from content. This separation brings new advantages:

  • Reuse: XForms modules can be reused independently of the information they collect
  • Device independence: user interface controls are abstract—that is, their generic features are the only thing indicated—so they can easily be delivered to different devices with different capabilities
  • Accessibility: separation of presentation from content leaves information more readily available for users of assistive technologies; in addition, the user interface controls encapsulate all relevant metadata such as labels, thereby enhancing accessibility of the application when using different modalities.


Update (oct 2009). XForms may not survive, since the new HTML5 input forms just build on top of the older HTML format. It has to be seen whether XHTML5 implementations will include XForms ...

Software

XForms processors

Currently the XForms standard is not supported by any browser natively, though plugins exist for Windows Internet Explorer and Firefox 2.0 KBenetos 11:24, 30 January 2007 (MET) has not yet tested any of these plugins.

For further information on software support see for example Wikipedia's XForms article.

Here is an unsorted and really not representative list of some software:

Browser extensions:

Pure (portable) JavaScript processors:

Flash-based processors:

Other languages:

Other things

E.g. generators, filters, server-side technologies

Links

XForms engines

  • XForms in Firefox - a good intro to XForms and tutorial on installing and using XForms with Firefox.

Standards and bodies

Tutorials and Introductions

News

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