Why you should add forms to your website

Forms are not very difficult to master. But it will take some time to learn because forms have a language all their own. So the question is why you should go through the hassle of learning this language.

 

One of the key aspects of Web 2.0 is being able to interact with the viewer of your website. Feedback forms which are easy for your viewers to fill out and send back to you play an important role in this process. But to be truly useful, these forms should also be capable of being tied to a data base where the responses can be processed and reports produced. In the past, attaching a database to a website was very difficult to set up. One of the key benefits of Joomla websites is that they are all database driven. All Joomla websites therefore already come with a (hidden) database. So all you need to do is tie a form to this data base to join the Web 2.0 revolution.

 

But in the past, forms were also quite difficult to create because each field in the form had to be coded manually. Thankfully, there is a free Joomla extension that makes writing forms not much more difficult than writing Joomla articles. The extension is called Breezin Forms.

 

Why Breezin Forms?

There are more than a dozen common Form Extension options for Joomla. They range from easy but limited form generators, such as CK forms (very difficult to adjust appearance of the form) to very complex options that are well beyond the ability of most non-computer programmers. There is one free option which is not difficult to learn and has unlimited design potential. If you want professional looking forms, then it is worth the time to learn how to use a Joomla extension called Breezin Forms. Their paid commercial option is very popular. But for now, we will start with their FREE version which will do almost anything most beginners would want.

 

This free form generator includes several important features:

• Three Form generation Modes (Quick Forms for non-coders, Easy Mode - slightly more complex but useful for designers, and Classic Mode for experienced users).
• Fully integrated Recaptcha for cutting down on spam.
• Easy to organize forms into separate pages, with separate sections.
• 14 Types of Fields to choose from (the commercial version has 18 types).
• Build in PayPal option.
• Built in calendar option.
• Many pre-defined validation functions.
• User data shown in email notifications and/or in a downloadable data base exportable into CSV for EXCEL or Open Office.
• The ability to create, copy and move form templates and themes from one website to another.
• Detailed documentation on how to use complex form functions and solve common problems.

 

Steps to learning how to make forms

This article will review how to download and configure or set up the Breezin forms Extension. The next article will cover how to make a simple CONTACT US form with simple elements – or form fields your readers will fill out. A third article will discuss adding more complex elements and a fourth article will cover validating that your readers have filled out the form correctly. A fifth article will cover the important topic of improving the appearance of your forms. And a sixth article will review how to add a thank you page. We will then cover the essential topic of managing records and data generated by your forms. We will then pull it all together by explaining how to use Breezin Forms to generate an Online Petition. Final topics include making a more secure Joomla Registration page and migrating Breezin Forms and Themes from one website to another.

 

These may seem like a lot of topics and they are. But there is really no simpler way to turn your website from a static website to an interactive website. The key to building relationships with your readers is learning how to use forms to interact with them. Thankfully, Breezin Forms makes this process pretty straightforward to learn.

 

Installing Breezin Forms

 

The Breezin Forms FREE program can be downloaded from the Joomla Extension Directory (JED). This is also a good place to get the latest information on all free and commercial form options available at any given moment.

 

http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/contacts-and-feedback/forms/8001

 

 

I think the reason this form generator is not as popular as others is that it is hard to find the download page for the Free version.

 

Click on Download.

 

 

Then click on Old Releases.

 

 

The version you want is Breezin Forms 1.7.0 All in One.

 

Click on Download.

 

 

 

Click on SAVE, then place the file in the folder you want to store it in.

 

To Unzip or not to unzip?

 

Normally you should upload ZIPPED Joomla Extension folders directly to your website. However, with this particular folder, before uploading to your Joomla Website, you need to unzip this folder:

 

 

 

This is because for a complete installation of BreezingForms, there are four separate zipped folders that you will need to upload and install. All four are located inside of the first zipped folder:

 

Component - for basic form functionality

 

Plugin - allows you to embed a form in an article

 

Module - allows you to use a form in a module position

 

Mouse-over Functions Plug In to provide user tips for your forms.

 

First install the component zipped folder. Log into your Joomla Administrator Control Panel and go to Extensions > Install.

 

 

 

In the Upload Package File section, click on the Browse button and navigate to the unzipped Breezing Forms folder. Inside this folder, select the com_breezingforms_170 zipped folder. Select it and click on UPLOAD FILE AND INSTALL.

 

It is a 1 MB file so it might take a couple of minutes.

 

 

The screen warns us that we also need to Configure the Component. We will do this after installing the module and two plug ins.

 

Next install module zipped folder using the same process:

 

 

Next install the form plug in using the same process:

 

 

Finally, install the mouse-over plug in using the same process:

 

 

Joomla components are like small Content Management Systems. The Breezin Forms component divides their files into 7 separate folders. We will only use three of these folders. In this article, we will cover the Configuration folder. In the next several articles, we will use the Manage Forms folder. And in one of the last articles, we will use the Manage Records folder to review how to download data from your forms.

 

We will not cover the other four folders as they are not really needed for 99% of what we will use forms for. Also, although we downloaded the module and plug ins, we will not cover these either. Modules can be useful for displaying a form in a particular area of a webpage and plug ins can be useful for inserting a form into a regular Joomla article. But the reality is that you are better off inserting a Joomla article into a Breezin Form page than inserting any form into a Joomla article page. We will show you how to insert text and images into your Breezin form in exactly the same way you insert text and images into Joomla articles. By doing so, you can avoid a lot of coding nightmares. So the only reason we downloaded the module and the plug ins is so they will be there and be compatible with your Breezin Forms Component if you ever need them.

 

Configuration of Breezin Forms

To complete the installation process, go to the menu Components > BreezingForms > Configuration.

 

 

This will bring up the Installation Step 2 screen:

 

 

In the installation step 2, keep New install: Create tables (drops existing tables) selected. Also select Sample Forms. Then click on Continue.

 

 

Installation complete. Click on Continue.

 

This brings up the Breezing Forms main configuration screen:

 

 

Configuration Settings

 

Use live site in configuration.php
If you select "Yes" here, it will force the form to use the $live_site variable in the php.ini file; however, it is deprecated, so you should leave this set to "No."

 

Run backend preview in an iframe
If you select "Yes" here, true WYSIWYG with the front-end stylesheet will be enabled. So leave this set to YES.

 

Preview window grid size
This field applies only to forms created in Classic Mode. If you would rather not use the grid, there is an option to turn it off while in Classic Mode.

 

Use WYSIWYG editor for text elements
The WYSIWYG editor is selectable in Joomla's global configuration options. On this screen, the option should remain set at "No."

 

Compress JavaScript and HTML
If "Yes" is selected, compressing the JavaScript and HTML will reduce the traffic from the server to the browser. However, if you are trying to debug the code, you will need to set this option to "No." (Remember to revert the option back to "Yes" when debugging is complete.)

 

Get provider with GetHostByAddr
If you want to know the Hostname of the user filling in the form, select "Yes" here. The information will then be sent to you via the email notification's header, as well as being stored in the database. Choosing this option could result in a slower response time, so unless there is a specific need to get the Hostname, it is recommended that the setting be kept at "No."

 

Number of lines for textareas
With this field, you can define how large the textareas should be. This can be used in classic mode where you add scripts and pieces, in the other modes on the form settings screen, as well as for the Scripts and Pieces Libraries. (More information will be added in the applicable sections.)

 

Limit descriptions in listviews to XX characters.
This field defines the size of the textarea in the Scripts and Pieces Library that shows the description of each script and piece.

 

Default email notification address
In this field, enter the default Email address you wish to use. If you wish to add more than one Email address, separate them with semi-colons, like this:

EmailAddress1;EmailAddress2;EmailAddress3
The first Email address will become the 'REPLY-TO' address, and it, plus any additional Email addresses listed after it, will receive a copy of the form but only if the MAIL RECIPIENTS field in the form properties for a specific form is left blank.

Path for {ff_images} substitute Unless you have changed the default directory name for BreezingForms, this should be left as is.

Path for {ff_uploads} substitute Unless you have changed the default directory name for BreezingForms, this should be left as is.

 

SUMMARY: The only thing you really need to do is add your email address.

Once you have finished making changes, click on the SAVE icon at the bottom of the screen.

This brings up the main Manage Forms Screen:

 

 

Note that while you can put in the email addresses you want set to you, this does not mean your host will actually forward the emails that it gets from Breezin Forms. Often your host will want an email address which is run through your website. For example, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Website hosts will usually give you these email addresses for free. You can also arrange to have any mail sent to them or by them to be forwarded to your normal email address. Even when you have this email address, you have to tell your Joomla Website that this is the email address you want the emails from the Breezin Forms program to be sent from. To do this, go to SITE> GLOBAL CONFIGURATIONS > SERVER and look for Mail Settings and enter the needed information into Mail From and From Name:

 

 

Then click on SAVE.

 

This completes the configuration process. In the next article, we will review how to create a new simple form using the Quick Mode which is in the Manage Forms section of Breezin Forms.