Completing Construction of a Database Form with HTML
In this conclusion to a thirteen-part series on building database forms with HTML, I will talk about the program that receives the data of the transmitted table at the server. I will show you how to do it using CGI and Perl. Recall that the data is actually HTML Form elements sent from the client’s computer.
Completing Construction of a Database Form with HTML - The Body Element (Page 2 of 6 )
Again, to simplify things, the table of the body element is the Transmitted Table. After going through this part, you will be able to fit the information to the rest of the series. If I do the fitting, the series, which already extends to thirteen parts, will become too long.
This is the start of the body element and the first main row:
<textarea style="width:245px;height:90px" name="Dn01" rows="1" cols="20">An attractive case in a polished silvertone finish, this JLO timepiece features a metallic pink dial and matching leather strap, making it a distinctive addition to any woman's wardrobe.</textarea>
</td>
<td id="TD02">
<textarea style="width:245px;height:90px" name="F02" rows="1" cols="20">Polished silvertone square case. Stainless steel caseback. Silvertone hands. Funky 3, 6, and 9 numbers. JLO logo at 12 o'clock. Metallic pink dial. Japanese quartz movement. Pink leather strap. Tang buckle.</textarea>
There are five main rows for the table. Each main row has one cell. That one cell has the controls that make up one record. One record has one table. The configuration of the table is like that of the record table in the recordset, in the previous part. This simplifies the program code that relates to the recordset and the Transmitted table.
Let me emphasize here that the text for the TEXTAREA element can be very large. There is no problem with that, since the problem of download time can be solved today. I intend to write an article on that. This large amount of text will not occupy too much space since the TEXTAREA element has small dimensions. By default the TEXTAREA element has the vertical scroll bar. The user can use this to scroll down if he finds the content interesting.
<textarea style="width:245px;height:90px" name="Dn11" rows="1" cols="20">Glittering rhinestones set on a stylish silverplated case make this cuff watch a dazzling fashion accessory.</textarea>
</td>
<td id="TD12">
<textarea style="width:245px;height:90px" name="F12" rows="1" cols="20">2-mm rhinestone border. Silverplated case. Base metal band with faux leather overlay. Stainless steel caseback. White dial with black numbers and hands. Hinged cuff. Japanese quartz movement. Case dimensions: 32 mm wide x 39.4 mm long x 8 mm thick. Bracelet dimensions: 14 mm wide x 6 inches long.</textarea>
At this point I want you to note that each control has a name and value (content). The HTML specification requires that each control must have a name and value (content); and any form control that does not have a name/value pair is invalid. Each control is in one table cell.
Note the way I have given the name of the control. The name starts with one or two letters of the alphabet, then the main row number and then the record position number. This naming system will help us to identify the records at the server. All of the names are unique.
HTML 
Building the Recordset for an HTML Database Form
