Thread

I would like to know if you can

1. design forms for the front page

2. design xml from database ie other than rss feeds

EE comes stock with an email and a tell-a-friend form (see docs), but for serious custom forms, I think most folks use the (free) third party freeform- very handy.  I generally put it on every site I build.  That the sort of thing you’re talking about?

As to xml- no problem.  You can set a template to the type ‘xml’ and proper header info will be sent.  Then- just put whatever you want in it.  If you want to pull custom info out of the db, you could use the query module- or any suitable tags.

For example- I needed xml for a flash gallery- so set a template to type ‘xml’ stuck:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<gallery>
    <album>
{exp:weblog:entries rdf="off" weblog="magazine" limit="7" disable="categories|member_data|pagination|trackbacks"}
        {main_image}
{/exp:weblog:entries}
    </album>
</gallery>

Result- valid, dynamically generated xml and a working slideshow.

Make sense?

Hi expat,

1. There isn’t a “form generator” included with EE but it may do what you need depending on the type of forms you are talking about. What exactly are you looking for?

2. When a Template is created in EE you can specify it as an XML template. But again, I’m not sure what you mean by “design XML”. If you expand on what you are looking for we’ll be able to provide better answers.

hi thanks for the replies,

1. yes i would like a form builder: a quick web questionnaire kinda form, where guests can answer some quick questions and send contact emails ie take values in a DB and populate a drop down menu for instance

2. XML to the flashgallery is what i mean as well as podcasting: amd any generic XML using data in the DB

3. There is NO user database integration into Invision boards?? No disrepect to your forum scripts ofcourse…but familiarity is best :D

1. I second Robins suggestion to give freeform a try. Very, very versatile, and quite possibly just what you are looking for. Free, too.

2. EE can generate every kind of content, you only need to provide the appropriate templates. XML is no problem at all.

3. No, there is no bridge to Invision boards. As you know, EE comes with its own forum module (which you see in action right here), and that is supported exclusively. If you do need the user database to tie in to other applications, some folks have had success with Amember Pro—but I am only mentioning that for completeness’ sake, it is third party software and not officialls supported or endorsed by EllisLab.