XForms is an XML application for describing forms which a user can
fill out. It has learned from the quirks of HTML forms and
delivers a lot of new possibilities.
Basically, it allows a whole XML document to be created on the
client side, which is then sent to the server via HTTP. This
document can even be validated on the client side, in order to
reduce server/client turnarounds. Its main stength is its
declarative nature which extremely reduces the necessity of
JavaSrcript as opposed to HTTP forms.
XPath tries to split the structure of the generated XML
document from the user interface. Input elements of the user
interface are bound to elements of the XML document using
XPath. One fun thing is that a simple "input" element changes
its behaviour depending on the type of values accepted by the element
it is bound to.
Howto Learn
The XForms 1.1
specification has a good
introduction
for people familiar
with HTML forms, XML and XPath. After having read the
introduction, you probably are most interested in the
form
controls since they are used to describe the user
interface. Then you should go on and discover more features.
Reading XForms Essentials
is also enlightening, but if you read such a big book, always
have the newest specification from w3c at hand in order to compare
and to catch up current development.
Links
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Programming:XForms
Title:
XForms Tutorial and Cookbook
Description:
A wikibook that teaches XForms by examples
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/xforms/
Title:
Mozilla XFroms project
Description:
This Mozilla project provides an XForms extension for Mozilla
based applications like Firefox. It is already advanced, but not
yet stable and complete enough for use in a production
environment.
http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/
Title:
W3C XForms working group
Description:
Homepage of the Froms working group
of the w3c. It provides current status, shedule for future
documents as well as XForms working drafts and recommendation.
http://www.w3.org/TR/xforms11/
Title:
Specification
http://xformsinstitute.com/essentials/
Title:
XForms Essentials
Description:
Book on XForms available on the web.