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How can I create a customised add/node form in D7?

I am not talking about a form for gathering information that is not content for the site, like an event registration form. I'm talking about the node/add form where you create content for your site.

What I want to replicate is just some simple html tables, arranged together, and some css to make it look good. Lots of boxes in which to insert numbers, mainly, a few drop-downs and text fields too. Imagine you navigate to node/add/scorecard and something like this appears:

Thanks.

SOLUTION

This is the solution I have arrived at:

(1) Create a module (.INFO and .MODULE files).

(2) Implement hook_menu (in your new module) to create a url and page where the form is to reside.

(3) Add a function to render the HTML of the form using drupal_get_form.

(4) Add a form builder function and construct your form using an array called $form (see form API for details).

(5) Add a submit button at the end of your form.

(6) To make the form look the way you want it to there are several methods: (i) create a theme function to add to the elements of $form; (ii) use #prefix and #suffix properties to add additional HTML and CSS ids/classes to the rendered form; (iii) manipulate the many ids/classes, rendered by drupal_get_form, with CSS; (iv) use the #markup properties to add additional HTML and CSS ids/classes to the rendered form (not recommended). I used a combination of (ii) and (iii). I could not work out how to do (i) but it is probably the 'most correct' method.

(7) Add a validation function.

(8) Add a submit function using node_save (for nodes) and drupal_write_record (for fields) to insert your form values into the relevant database tables: node, field_data_field_my_field etc.

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  • Perhaps you can post a URL to an example of what you're trying to achieve?
    – Bisonbleu
    Mar 24, 2013 at 20:52
  • I've added an image and refined my question to clear up any confusion about what I mean by the term 'form'. Thanks.
    – dbj44
    Mar 27, 2013 at 15:46
  • Did you have a look at this? drupal.stackexchange.com/questions/33928/…
    – Vincenzo Gambino
    Mar 27, 2013 at 21:14
  • Thanks. Basically, he's saying create a custom template page for a specific node/add page. Interesting, but, again, I can see this approach giving me less control. --- I have now successfully created the content types (bundles) I need, so all the tables are in the database. I have successfully created a module, using the form API, which creates a custom form on its own page. Just need to theme the form to make it look the way I want, and then see if I can create/update table data - this last bit is where I may run into problems. This is all I have to go on: drupal.org/node/310079
    – dbj44
    Mar 27, 2013 at 23:04

3 Answers 3

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you may try using Webform module.

Webform is a module that aids in making various one-off forms such as contact forms, surveys, order forms, reservations, CRM requests, and more.

To install the module, download the module and add it to your sites/all/modules directory. Enable it under /admin/build/modules.

You will now have a new node type called "Webform". From there you simply give the webform a title, description, confirmation message, set up email settings and the like.

Finally, you can add several components (think fields). There are several component types available: fieldset, pagebreaks, grid, textarea, textfield, select (checkboxes, pulldown lists), email addresses and more.

Here's the documentation. Let me know if you need more information.

-------------------- UPDATE ----------------------

To customize the HTML of the form you can copy the file webform-form.tpl.php and copy it into you template. Inside there is the array $form['submit'] that contains the compontents of the form. write dsm($form['submit']) and it will print the compontents. Then you may do something like

<div class="my_class" id="my_id">
<?php print render($form['submit']['YOUR_FIELD']); ?>
</div>

Then you may want to assign this template to that node, so it will be webform-form-NID.tpl.php

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  • 1
    This may work for me, but I'm concerned, like many contrib modules, it won't give me the amount of control I want. I was thinking of making a custom module and using the form API (drupal.org/node/204270) - which gives a module a way to define a form via a structured array and render it into HTML. I've never used this API before. What do you think?
    – dbj44
    Mar 25, 2013 at 9:51
  • I've updated my answer.
    – Vincenzo Gambino
    Mar 25, 2013 at 19:57
  • Thanks. I may come back to this if Form API doesn't bear fruit.
    – dbj44
    Mar 26, 2013 at 12:58
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You can certainly use modules like Webform, but if you are truly looking for a customized form - two options based on what you are trying to do.

  1. If this is customizing an existing form (like node add form?) - use hook_form_alter().
  2. If this is a brand new form, use hook_menu()
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  • What about using Form API to define and render a form via a custom module, which looks something like: (1) Implement hook_help to define help information (2) Create a form builder function to store form elements in $form and to define a submit button (3) Theme the form by adding '#theme' attributes to the form (4) Create a form submit function using db_insert to put the form data into the relevant tables (5) Implement hook_block_view with drupal_get_form ---I've been reading this: drupal.org/node/751826 and trying to make adjustments for D7.
    – dbj44
    Mar 26, 2013 at 11:05
  • When you say use hook_menu() do you mean to define the URL to the form page? Thanks.
    – dbj44
    Mar 26, 2013 at 11:50
  • @user1919784 - Yes you will need to use Form API. First question - are you trying to edit an existing form (then use hook_form_alter) and trying to make it look different? or trying to create a new custom form at a new custom URL(then use hook_menu)? Are you looking for code examples?
    – drupalmav
    Mar 26, 2013 at 17:48
  • I am going to try to create a custom form. I am not trying to alter a form provided by core. I have found some code examples to get me started. I've created a new module. Inside, I have (1) implemented hook_menu to create a custom url; (2) a function to return the form (via drupal_get_form); (3) a form builder function with submit button; and (4) a db_insert function. The latter I am most unsure about. I have node and 3 other tables that will need to be populated by the form. 2 of the tables will need multiple rows to be added by the submitted form. Thanks.
    – dbj44
    Mar 26, 2013 at 20:51
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Use Entityform Types. That way, you will have more control. It has custom fields, and it integrates with the Views module.

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