Documentation Mailing Lists FAQ Roadmap - Questionaire Responses for AA CAMP 2004

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1. Main problems and annoyances you encounter when using ActionApps

2. Features suggested for future development versions of ActionApps
Dynamic form generator!

The input-form-as-view was a great innovation. (Were we really copying HTML source from admin screens until now?! :)

One problem with deploying input forms as arbitrary HTML is that it's a pain to manage. It falls out of synch with a changing app. (Field settings change. Constant group values change. Etc.) The input-form-as-view solved part of this: Fields linked to constants are defined dynamically -- so changes to constants propagate into these forms.

Great. But we can take this concept further.

I'd propose a more rigid alternative: a form generator.

Here, forms would still be special views. But the view definition would largely comprise a system of settings -- from which form code is generated when the view is called.

For instance (thinking quickly):

GLOBAL:
- optional specs for input element types (e.g. textarea = 40 cols)
- styles for text element types (field name, field desc, etc.)
- layout: two column, one column

PER-FIELD (several optional overrides):
- show this field? (on/off)
- default value (optional override)
- field name (optional override)
- field type (optional override)
- field params (optional override)
- field description/help (optional override)

Implication: field settings on [Admin/Main Settings/Fields] would apply unless overridden here. This would take some thought -- not sure how MUCH flexibility is appropriate on a form generator.

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This is different from a wizard that generates code that can then by modified. In this case, these settings ARE the view, and the output is generated dynamically when the view is called.

As basic field definitions change, they automatically propagate to the form-view: instance:

- As now: changing constant values automatically propagate
- New: new field added to slice automatically appears on the form (probably hidden until activated on the view -- but at least not requiring manual addition of hidden field to form).
- New: deleted field vanishes
- New: Any basic field setting changes are reflected here (unless overridden): input type (+ params). field name, field description, etc.
- New: Form design is driven by styles/settings -- and this can be modified systematically without editing code

Such views could be used anywhere:
- anon posting forms
- public editing forms
- admin editing forms, if so determined by user's profile

3. Comments About Usablility

4. General future development suggestions

Submited by:
John Hall

Jun 3 2025

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