Form
A form is a group of related fields
that are used to enter and view data.
The exact meaning of form depends on the context:
-
Database forms
are used in database
applications. They provide a
window or screen to
browse, edit and enter
data.
-
Electronic forms
are text documents or
spreadsheets which
can be printed or filled out using the appropriate application.
-
Web forms are part of
an HTML page to allow data input. They are often called online forms.
All forms contain a number of fields, each with a
field-label. The field
is a space to enter data. Forms layout the fields and
field-labels in
a logical manner to make data entry user friendly.
Fields in a form can be checked for the input format expected, such as a US zip code being numeric only. In addition, some fields in a form can be marked as required, such as an address form requires a street, city and state.
Sometimes, fields of a form are checked against existing data, such as the name of valid cities in and address form. In addition, the content of various fields can be checked for consistency, such as the zip code corresponding to the city and state in an address form for US addresses.
Synonyms
Sometimes form fields are called variables
or place holder or entry fields.
Using and creating Forms
The following screencasts demonstrate how to create and use forms in various contexts:
- Create a "view and edit" database form using the form wizard.
- Edit a database form.
- Delete a database form.
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