Form submissions

Flynn

hey guys
I'm having trouble understanding form submissions..
My form consists of just one text filed and a submit button... (its for a newsletter sign up)
How exactly does it send from the webpage to my email/database/host?
My host provides support for ASP.. is there script i must put on the site.. i'm using dreamweaver. And i thought my host would make the connection..with the submit button and either store the information or forward it to me....but when clicked it just brings you to a 405 error.. my site
Any help appreciated..

-flynn

dahamsta

You need a form handler, ask your host if they provide a generic one, otherwise you'll need to install one (google: asp form handler).

adam

kstanl

To submit the form via email (with ASP) you'll need to use a CDO mail script - http://www.w3schools.com/asp/asp_send_email.asp

To insert it into a database - well, you'll need to learn connectivity which can get pretty deep but it's not too complex to learn the basics - http://216.147.98.109/support_aspdb.html

canker

If you are using dreamweaver MX you can insert form data to a database table using its inbuilt functions fairly easily wihtout having to get into it at a technical level. Dreamweavers help file (F1!) is very good, articles are repeated in each server language so make sure you are looking at the asp articles.

Basically you will need a database (access is the easiest way to start) with one table which has one field. upload the database to your website server. Then in dreamweaver you will need to make a connection to the database. In the applications box under the databases tab click the plus sign and choose custom connection string. put this in the box that pops up "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=[Path to Database]"

You may need to check with your hosting provider the full path to your database (like c:\dfdfsdf\dsfsdf\mysite\www\db\database.mdb)

then on your page that has the form click the plus sign under the server behaviours tab on the application box and choose insert record.

follow the onscreen instructions and you're done.

Flynn

rightio! sounds complex... (ive never dealt with databases before... but i'll go off and try and school up! will let ye know how i get on.. thanks...

Flynn

I have set up a table with one field in my database but now it's asking me for information i cant answer:

Field:
Type:
length/values:
Attributes:
Null:
Default:
Extra:
and other options...

Also i read the F1 help file and it says i need to set up a web-server like IIS or PWS? or does this not apply to me because my host already supports ASP and i have a database?

Please fill me in i'm very new to this and it's kinda boggling!

canker

You do not need IIS or any webserver running on your local machine (would be a bit easier if you did have one). You will just have to upload your files and test them online.

In the database

Field: give it any old name (no spaces or special characters)
Type: text
Everything else: leave blank

I didnt mention it in the original post but the page with the signup form will have to be a .asp rather than a .html

just create a new asp page and copy the complete code from your existing page into it

Flynn

yeah nice one man.. was just playin around with dreamweaver and did that with the .asp.. thought it was a bit drastic so i didnt save.. but i'll fix it up now...
thanks...