Re: [Spyce-users] Pre-populating forms

[Rimon B. <barr@CS.Cornell.EDU>]

Hi Scott,

Please excuse the delay in replying... I'm not sure *how* easy it is =
relative to EmbPerl, but it's definitely possible in Spyce as well, and =
it's not very difficult. Do something like this. (Warning: I'm just =
typing this in, and it's not tested)

[[\
def default(value, def=3D''):
  if value=3D=3DNone: return def
  return value
]]

Then, you could write something like:
  <input name=3Dfoo value=3D"[[=3Ddefault(request.get1('foo', =
'mydefault'))]]">

If you are using post data, then simply pass in request.post1('foo') =
above.

You could do something similar for selection form elements, perhaps =
using a function like:
[[
def defaultSelect(value, selection):
  if value=3D=3DNone: return ''
  if value=3D=3Dselection: return 'selected'
  return false
]]

Similarly, you could deal with checkboxes, and other form elements. =
Admittedly, it would be nice for this to be encoded as a module. I'll =
put it on the todo list. If you come up with a nice set of functions, =
which you think are convenient and represent the entire spectrum of HTML =
form capabilities, please think about making it into a module, and =
making it available to the community.

In general, I have been thinking about binding forms to data. I hope to =
(when I find the time) to also create a tag library that implements a =
similar functionality, and to perform this binding in a more general =
manner than I just described, which will also encapsulate form =
validation. Stay tuned...

All the best,
Rimon.

----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Scott Chapman" <sco...@mi...>
To: <spy...@li...>
Sent: Saturday, February 08, 2003 10:39 PM
Subject: [Spyce-users] Pre-populating forms


Is there an easy way to pre-populate a form?

With EmbPerl, you can populate the %fdat{} hash (python =3D dictionary) =
and form=20
items are pre-populated with the relevant entry in %fdat. So if you have =
a=20
form input name=3D"email" and you put an email address in $fdat{email} =
it will=20
show up as the value in the form in the user's web browser.  The user's =
data=20
coming from the form are found in %fdat{} also.  This is a VERY =
convenient=20
mechanism.

I've read the Spyce docs and I don't see that this can be done the same =
way=20
here.  Has anyone made a module to do this or did I miss something?

Failing all that, can this be added to Spyce?

Cordially,
Scott