A form element is any field on a form, such as text and list boxes, option buttons, and check boxes. Developing a simple work item viewer consists primarily of determining the form elements in an HTML file.
As long as the hosting Web browser supports the HTML 4.0 elements, your HTML work item viewer may use any HTML element defined in version 4.0 of the HTML specification (http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/cover.html ), except the FRAME, FRAMESET, and IFRAME elements.
Important: Within a given viewer file, every form element should have a unique name. If two or more elements have the same name in a work item viewer file, the results can be different depending on which Web server is being used.
The following form elements require special consideration when using EPX:
BUTTON
Generic button elements are no problem, but they are ignored during form extraction/population. They may be of most use for triggering custom JavaScript in advanced development.
FILE
FILE-type input fields can be used, and the selected filename will be saved, but the file contents will not be saved. When the work item is opened later (either by the original user or another one in the flow) the FILE value will not be restored. The value is still stored in the database, but due to JavaScript security restrictions, you cannot fill in the FILE value using JavaScript, so it will appear blank when reopened.
PASSWORD
This element should not be used. Web browsers do not allow JavaScript files to view password values, so they always result in an empty string value if used.
RESET
We recommend avoiding use of this element because RESET causes the form to reset back to the state defined in the HTML file, not back to the state of the form when it was first loaded by EPX. This is not of particular concern for newly created work items, but is almost certainly undesirable for opening existing work items.
SUBMIT
Although it is very common when constructing HTML forms to define an ACTION attribute for the FORM tag and a SUBMIT button to initiate the action, do not do this when writing an HTML work item viewer. If you specify an ACTION or a SUBMIT attribute, the work item you create will not go to the Application Server as designed and will not be processed properly.
RADIO buttons
To make one of the radio buttons already selected when the viewer appears, you must use the name/value pair CHECKED="CHECKED". For example:
<INPUT name="biodata_age" type="radio"
value="junior"> < 30
<INPUT name="biodata_age" type="radio"
value="mid" CHECKED="CHECKED"> 30 to 64
<INPUT name="biodata_age" type="radio"
value="senior"> > 65
SELECT lists
To make one of the list items already selected when the viewer appears, you must use the name/value pair SELECTED="SELECTED". For example:
<select name="biodata_status">
<option selected>None
<option value='employed'>Employed
<option value='unemployed'>Unemployed
<option value='retired' SELECTED="SELECTED">Retired
</select>
CHECKBOX fields
To make one of the check boxes already selected when the viewer appears, you must use the name/value pair CHECKED="CHECKED". For example:
<INPUT name="biodata_other" type="checkbox"
value="glasses" CHECKED="CHECKED">
Do you wear glasses?
HIDDEN
This form element can be used to pass data to the Application Server that will not appear in the viewer.