Naming the Form Objects

Now that you have the general layout of the form complete, you can start linking the form objects to the database.  First each form must have a unique name to distinguish it from the other form objects.

One-line Text boxes

1. Select the One-line text box for the First Name. Then select Format and Properties. A Text Box Properties dialog box will appear.
   
    
2. In the Name: field type in FirstName. Leave Initial value as blank and select OK.
    

3. Select the Last Name one-line text box and select Format, then Properties.  Type in LastName in the Name: field. Select OK.

Checkboxes

1. Each checkbox must have its own name.
    
2. Select the first checkbox. Select Format, then Properties. A Check Box Properties dialog box will appear. Type in the name you want the checkbox to be called. 

3. You may want to change the Value: section of the dialog box. The Value: section will display ON in your database if it is selected. You may change the Value to help you distinguish the information in the database. Typing Checked may help distinguish the information in your database.
    

4. If you want the checkbox to automatically be checked when the form is opened have the checked radio button selected. If you do not want the checkbox to be automatically selected, check the Not checked radio button. For this example make sure the Not checked radio button is selected. Select OK.
    

5. Continue to select each checkbox on the form until you have them each properly named.

Radio Buttons

1. Radio buttons on a form are slightly different in their naming conventions.  If you have more than one radio button for a question, you will need to name the radio buttons with the same name. The value of the radio button will be what distinguishes the correct answer.
    
2. Select the first radio button. Select Format, then Properties. A Radio Buttons dialog box will appear.
    
3. The Group Name section will have the same name for each radio button for one question. For this example type in Question2.
    
4. The Value: section is where you make the distinction of which radio button is selected in the form. Make sure the Value name is different for each radio button.
    
5. If you want the radio button to be automatically selected when the user opens the form, make sure the Selected radio button is selected. If you do not want the radio button to be automatically selected, select the Not Selected radio button.
    
6. The dialog box should look as such:

7. Now select the next radio button. Keep in mind when you name each radio button to keep the same Group name for on question but change the Value.

Scrolling Textbox

1. Placing naming properties to the scrolling text box is very simple.
    
2. Select the scrolling textbox. Select Format, then Properties. A Scrolling Text Box dialog box will appear.

3. Type in an appropriate name in the Name section. If you would like to have instructions or other text in the text box when the form opens, type in the information in the Initial value section.
    
4. Change the Width in characters: number to how many characters you will allow in the scrolling textbox.
    
5. Change the Number of lines: number to how many lines you will allow in the scrolling textbox. Select OK when you are satisfied with the properties.

NOTE: Changing the width of characters allowed and the number of lines in the scrolling text box will alter the size of the text box on the form. Notice that when you resize the textbox on the form, the width of characters and the number of lines will change.

Your basic form is almost complete!

Submit and Reset
When FrontPage places the Submit and Reset buttons on the form, these buttons automatically have properties set to them. If you want, you can leave the properties as they are. The only property you will change is the actual name of the button.
 

1. Select the Submit button. Select Format, then Properties. The Push Button Properties dialog box will appear.
   
   
   

2. For the purpose of this tutorial, we will change the name of the Submit button. In the Name section, type in Submit. Then press OK.
    

3. Select the Reset button. Select Format, then Properties. The Push Button Properties dialog box will appear with the Reset button information.
    

4. Type Reset in the name section and press OK.

Your form is now almost complete. All of the form properties are named. You will now create the database where the information will be stored.

Continue