Automatically save DCR when generating a new form

brizrobbo

Hi Folks,

This is a "concept" question!

Typically, an author can create a new form as follows:

1. Select >File, >New Form Entry to start FormsPublisher;
2. Enter data in the form;
3. Save the DCR to some location in templatedata;
4. Generate the .html page somewhere in their WORKAREA structure.

However, there has been a question raised by some of our internal TeamSite traning staff. Their complaint is that the authors have a great difficulty understanding this concept of saving the DCR in one spot and then saving the generated HTML in another spot. We have sort-of worked-around this problem by hiding the "save" and "save as" buttons on the form, and just displaying a "generate" button. When they generate, however, it still asks you to save the DCR and then it asks you to save your html file.

It would be even better if we could ask them to save the html file only, but then the DCR would be automatically saved in a structure within templatedata which mimicked the same structure under htdocs. Therefore, the authors wouldn't need to know that templatedata even existed.

Is this a "concept"... or am I dreaming? I realise that this would be limiting in terms of functionality, but it does seem to be a significant conceptual problem for a majority of authors.

Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated?

Adam Stoller

Hi Folks, This is a "concept" question! Typically, an author can create a new form as follows: 1. Select >File, >New Form Entry to start FormsPublisher; 2. Enter data in the form; 3. Save the DCR to some location in templatedata; 4. Generate the .html page somewhere in their WORKAREA structure. However, there has been a question raised by some of our internal TeamSite traning staff. Their complaint is that the authors have a great difficulty understanding this concept of saving the DCR in one spot and then saving the generated HTML in another spot. We have sort-of worked-around this problem by hiding the "save" and "save as" buttons on the form, and just displaying a "generate" button. When they generate, however, it still asks you to save the DCR and then it asks you to save your html file. It would be even better if we could ask them to save the html file only, but then the DCR would be automatically saved in a structure within templatedata which mimicked the same structure under htdocs. Therefore, the authors wouldn't need to know that templatedata even existed. Is this a "concept"... or am I dreaming? I realise that this would be limiting in terms of functionality, but it does seem to be a significant conceptual problem for a majority of authors. Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated?

Generally, what I try to do with DCTs is add the appropriate FormAPI code (including callServer code) to programmatically name the DCR and generated file based on one or more fields of data captured within the DCT - included in that naming is the relative-path information which is used both within the data/ directory (for the DCR) and relative to the root of the workarea (or some static directory therein) for the output file.

For example - if I have a DCT that contains a drop-down field:

/data/advertisements/yadda_yadda_yadda.xmland the output file would be:/.../WORKAREA/****/advertisements/yadda_yadda_yadda.htmlor/.../WORKAREA/****/content/advertisements/yadda_yadda_yadda.htmlBy doing it this way - the user clicks Save or Generate and neither operation prompts for a location.