copyright 1997-2002 cardiff software inc. all rights reserved. xml meets forms micah dubinko, cdia...

Copyright 1997-2002 Cardiff Software Inc. All rights reserved.

XML Meets Forms

Micah Dubinko, CDIAChief XML ArchitectEditor, W3C XForms

Cardiff Software, Inc.3220 Executive Ridge Drive

Vista, CA 92083www.Cardiff.com


Why Put Forms Online?

• $22.5B Spent on Pre-Printed Forms (US)(DMIA Formtrac)

• 30% of Pre-Printed Forms Turn to Waste(DMIA Formtrac)

• A Single Paper Form Costs An Organization $30 - $165 to Use, Process and Enter (Microsoft Study)


Historical eForm Approaches Have Limitations

• Proprietary eForm formats - vendor lock-in• Client/server• Browser plugins• Java applets• Proprietary formats: XFDL, XFA

• eForms = Programming• Unfriendly for non-technical users• Creation & maintenance of forms is IT-resource

intensive

• Few vendors offer migration path from paper• Getting from paper to eForms is slow, expensive• Once on eForms, no automated support for paper


“5 Phases of eForms”

Phase1Phase1““Print to Print to

PDFPDFAnd Put And Put Online” Online”

Phase2Phase2““Fill and Fill and Print” Print”

Phase3Phase3““Design, Design,

Fill,Fill,Validate, Validate, Print or Print or

Submit” Submit”

Phase4Phase4““Fill,Fill,

Validate, Validate, Print/SubmiPrint/Submi

t and t and Route”Route”

Phase5Phase5““Design, Fill,Design, Fill,

Validate, Validate, Attach, Attach,

Print/Submit, Print/Submit, Route, Digitally Route, Digitally

Sign, and Sign, and Output/ConnecOutput/Connec

t” t”


World Web Consortium (W3C) XForms

• XForms Working Group created to define a Web-based standard for presentation and information

• W3C XForms Working Group• Members include Cardiff Software, IBM,

Oracle, Netscape, HP, Xerox, Ericsson, Mozquito and others…

• Author and technical editor of the draft specification


Agenda

• The New XForms Standard• XForms Design Goals• XForms Quick Tour• XForms vs. Closed Systems• Preparing for XForms Today• Further Information


XForms Requirements

• Define XML interface for eForms• Define form presentation format• Define data format and structure• Leverage XML Schema, later XML

Digital Signature• Provide a suitable replacement for

HTML forms• Provide greater Accessibility


XForms Design Goals

• Be a good XML citizen• Seamless integration with other XML tag sets

• Anywhere, anyone, any time, any device• Support for desktop browsers, handheld,

phones, ATMs, gasoline pumps, etc…• Remove Script Dependencies

• Richer user interface to meet the needs of business, consumer and device control applications

• From simple client/server to n-tier• Decoupled data, logic and presentation


A Brief History of eForm Standards

Pre-1993: Proprietary,Client/Server

1993: HTML forms

1994–2001: Nothing happened

2002: XForms


HTML Forms Limitations

• Some Assembly Required• <input value=“initial value”>

• Primitive Data Representation• URL encoded

• Need Script to do anything…• Validations• Calculations• Dynamic Forms


The “New” Web

0

20

40

60

80

100

2001 2002 2003 2004

Trend: Conventional Browsers are historyBrowsersDevices


XForms Conformance Profiles

• Two conformance profiles to support wide range of devices

• Basic: small devices, TV, phones, etc.• Full: desktop browsers, servers

• High-level form control definitions• Flexibility in implementation


How It Works

• XForms separates the data from the form definition

<html>

</html>

<head>

</head>XForms Model

Purpose(non-visible)

<body>

</body>

PresentationForm controls


How It Fits In

User Presentation

ImplementationImplementationPlatformPlatformToolsTools

FrameworksFrameworks

Application SchemasApplication Schemas

Core StandardsCore StandardsW3C XML, XSL, etc.

W3C XForms, XML Sign

Vendor Implementations

XForms ServicesDesigner/HTML/PDF/XMLWeb Server (Routing, etc)Connectivity (Data/Archive)

User PresentationHTML

Adobe PDF

Others via XSL


XForms Model

• Defines the ‘Purpose’ of the form• Includes:

• Instance Data• XForms specific properties and actions• Submit Information


XForms Model

• Single, device-independent XML form definition

• Works with standard or proprietary user interfaces


Separate Purpose from Data

Purpose Presentation Data

Event Registration Arrangement of form controls

Registration information

Employee

hours worked

UI for collecting dates and times worked

Days and hours worked

eCommerce application

Present shopping user interface

Order, shipping, and payment info

Information request

Integrate forms UI into WWW page

User contact information


XForms Instance

• Provides template for your data• Provides default or partially submitted

data• Can be inline or referenced externally


XForms Without Scripting

• XML Schema defines static constraints• Datatypes• minimum/maximum occurrences

• XForms extends these with ‘computed expressions’

• Evaluated at runtime• Is something relevant or required?• Calculated fields


XForms UI Controls

• <selectOne ref="my:icecream/my:flavor"> <caption>Flavour</caption> <item><caption>Vanilla</caption><value>v</value></item> <item><caption>Strawberry</caption><value>s</value></item> <item><caption>Chocolate</caption><value>c</value></item></selectOne>

listbox checkbox radio menu


XForms Vs. HTML Controls

XForms form control

Closest HTML equivalent

Description

<input> <input type="text"> For entry of small amounts of text

<textarea> <textarea> For entry of large amounts of text

<secret> <input type="password">

For entry of sensitive information

<output> N/A For inline display of any instance data

<range> N/A For smooth "volume control" selection of a value

<upload> <input type="file"> For upload of file or device data

<button> <button> For activation of form events

<submit> <input type="submit"> For submission of form data

<selectOne> <select> or <input type="radio">

For selection of one option among several

<selectMany> <select multiple="multiple">

For selection of many options


XForms Actions

• Defines common set of behaviors for forms

• Allows event processing without requiring Javascript


XForms Action

• Messages• <message level=“ephemeral”>Please enter the number…</message>• <message level=“modal”>This field is required (Street)</message>• <message level=“modeless”>Have you forgotten your

password</message>

ephemeral

modeless

modal


XForms Submit

• Provides How, Where, and What to submit

• Multiple models per page• Partial form submission

• Default is ‘post’ of XML Instance

Submit


HTML vs. XForms

HTML1. Poor integration

with XML 2. Device dependent,

running well only on desktop browsers

3. Blending of purpose and presentation

4. Limited accessibility features

XForms1. Excellent XML and

Schema integration

2. Device independent, yet still useful on desktop browsers

3. Strong separation of purpose from presentation

4. Universal accessibility


Proprietary Proprietary FormatFormat

Client/Server eForms = Closed SystemsProductProductss

User ExperienceUser Experience

JetformJetformFillerFiller

FormFlow99 FormatJetform

PureEdgePureEdgePureEdge

FillerFillerPureEdge Form Format

Shana ShanaShanaFillerFiller

Shana Informed Format

X X

XX


Making the Transition

• Deploy XML data through Web Services• RPC-style bad; Document-style good• Plain-old XML even better

• Don’t assume browser-only access• Avoid dependence on HTML processing• Think beyond client-server• Embrace open standards

Preparing for the future of eForms:


For More Information…

• http://www.w3.org/TR/xforms/• http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms• http://www.xml.com/• http://dubinko.info/

• Mailing List:• [email protected] Subj:“subscribe”

copyright 1997-2002 cardiff software inc. all rights reserved. xml meets forms micah dubinko, cdia...

Documents