Adding placeholders to textareas

[Tyssen]

I've used the Form Template Processor module to create a simple contact form but I have a requirement that placeholders be added to all the inputs and textareas. I can do that for the inputs because they have a field in the admin to do that, but textareas don't.

This is my first site (and first day) using Processwire so I could be missing something obvious, but does anyone have an idea about how I'd achieve this?

[Natetronn]

Hey Tyssen!

I updated the module for you though, not sure how to hand it over other than via a gist:

https://gist.github.com/4554543

The file I updated was in wire > modules > Inputfield > InputfieldTextarea.module

Note: I know how to make a pull requests though, not sure which branch to use (Ryan?) plus, I'm just getting use to looking at PW code so maybe it should be looked over by a PW professional first

Also note: I wonder where this should go for the time being. For example I wonder if this will work in the site/module directory since it's now custom. An update to PW of course would overwrite the changes made in the wire/modules/Inputfield version. Anyone care to explain the proper way to handle custom or modified core modules please?

[Soma]

Natetronn, that link doesn't work.

BTW. Looking at the textarea, there's already a placeholder text you can enter. Maybe you need to update to latest dev version.

[Tyssen]

@Soma, I'll check out the dev branch, but before I do, after posting I was thinking about it a bit more, and what would be more useful would to be able to control the markup of form output which doesn't seem possible when using the Form Template Processor module, or am I missing something?

@Natetronn, you're everywhere.

[Marty Walker]

Hi John,

This is a basic contact form that I've used in the past. I might help.

Cheers

Marty

<?php

/**
 * basic-form.php - Example of a simple contact form in ProcessWire
 *
 */ 

// set this to the email address you want to send to (or pull from a PW field)
$emailTo = 'email@site.com'; 

// or if not set, we'll just email the default superuser
if(empty($emailTo)) $emailTo = $users->get($config->superUserPageID)->email;

// set and sanitize our form field values
$form = array(
	'fullname' => $sanitizer->text($input->post->fullname),
	'email' => $sanitizer->email($input->post->email),
	'comments' => $sanitizer->textarea($input->post->comments),
	); 

// initialize runtime vars
$sent = false; 
$error = ''; 

// check if the form was submitted
if($input->post->submit) {

	// determine if any fields were ommitted or didn't validate
	foreach($form as $key => $value) {
		if(empty($value)) $error = "<p class='form-error'>Please completed all fields.</p>";
	}

	// if no errors, email the form results
	if(!$error) {
		$subject = "Message from your website contact form";
		$message = '';
		foreach($form as $key => $value) $message .= "$key: $value\n";
		mail($emailTo, $subject, $message, "From: $form[email]");
		$sent = true;	
	}
}

if($sent) {
	echo "<p>Thank you, your message has been sent.</p>"; // or pull from a PW field

} else {

	// encode values for placement in markup
	foreach($form as $key => $value) {
		$form[$key] = htmlentities($value, ENT_QUOTES, "UTF-8"); 
	}

	// output the form
	echo <<< _OUT

	$error
	<form action="./" method="post">
		<label for="fullname">Your name*</label>
		<input type="text" id="fullname" name="fullname" size="60" value="$form[fullname]" />
		
		<label for="email">Your email*</label>
		<input type="email" name="email" id="email" size="60" value="$form[email]" />
		
		<label for="comments">Message*</label>
		<textarea id="comments" name="comments" rows="5" cols="43">$form[comments]</textarea>
		
		<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" />
		<p class="form-required">* required fields</p>
	</form>

_OUT;

}

?>

[Soma]

Maybe I also point out this thread. http://processwire.com/talk/topic/2089-create-simple-forms-using-api/

And yes you can change markup and classes to some extend as seen in this thread.

[Tyssen]

Thanks guys, I'll take a look at both of those.

[Natetronn]

Natetronn, that link doesn't work.

My mistake, it was late, it works now

[Tyssen]

Thanks Nate.