Order Form w/current options live total

**williamsun** · 07-26-2012, 10:03 PM

Hello, I am new here so please bear with me while I get the rhythm of the forum.

I'm not a programmer, but not an html newbie either. I would like some advice on which direction to go. I am a surfboard manufacturer and would like to add an order form with a live total of current options selected -- like a different base price for certain types of foam and resin, special glassing, air brush paint job, number and types of fins, etc.

Which would be the best direction to go, with something that I could edit & modify to suit my needs......., JavaScript, Flash (I have Macromedia Flash MX 2002 and just started trying to learn it), or something like ZenCart on Godaddy hosting?

Thanks for any constructive input.

**bernie1227** · 07-26-2012, 10:45 PM

this
Has some free template forms which you can modify

**williamsun** · 07-27-2012, 07:01 AM

Thank you. I have been checking out some basic drop down list javascript forms like:
http://pjnicholson.com/htmlguide/orderform.htm
http://www.jdstiles.com/java/dualform.html
...and several others that might be a good start to build on, if javascript is the way to go. Although those would be a lot of work to adapt all the options available, and are just a base price + quantity forms.

I should have mentioned that I'm looking for a wizard type of interface (optionally - with an image that might change to reflect the users choice - adding or subtracting a transparent overlay of a .gif or .png image), but it's not a deal breaker. I would prefer this because there could be a total of 100 options and I don't want to give novice surfers information overload, just something between emailing us and discussing back and forth what they want, and an html order form I have built already with all options available that uses a php form emailer through godaddy that I use to host my site.

Do you still think javascript is the way to go for my situation, or should I try to bang out something in the prehistoric flash software I have, or would there be too many compatibility issues to deal with, and maybe over my head? I know Macromedia Flash MX 2002 is VERY old, and I don't know programming. I'm pretty good with html, css, and graphics, but not programming.

**bernie1227** · 07-27-2012, 07:20 AM

well basically, the form should be written in html and css (as in the display), but for the client side functionality, eg telling them they haven't filled one of the boxes, you'd want javascript, but as a quick question, are you planning to have the form submitted to a database? or emailed to you?

**williamsun** · 07-27-2012, 12:51 PM

It would be emailed to me at first, like I have now, but later I would like to integrate it into an online shopping cart type of deal. That is why I mentioned ZenCart at first, it looks the most promising, however I am open to suggestions.

I have an html form now (not yet on the site) with a javascript validator and noscript to hide the whole form if javascript is disabled. I could make a second stripped down version of my current form for a more simple interface for inexperienced users. I would still have the issue of a running total unless I could figure out how to add the javascript code for it to what I have now.

How can I show or change an image (surfboard w/options chosen) by clicking on radio button selections?

**bernie1227** · 07-28-2012, 09:12 AM

Just as a question, how are you getting it emailed to you? Just a comment, it may be easier (and more customisable) to write some php to submit the form to the database, so that you don't have to read 50 emails a day or whatever.

Here is an example of changing the image when a checkbox is ticked.

Code:

<html>
<head>
<title>Williamsun's extremely awesome and cheap surfboards</title>
<script type="text/javascript">
function processCheckbox(checkbox) {
if (checkbox.checked) {
image.src = "awesomesurfboard1.png";
} else {
image.src = "awesomesurfboard2.png";
}
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<img src="awesomesurfboard2.png" id="image">
<form name="theform">
<input type="checkbox">surfboard1</input>
</form>
</body>
</html>

Hope you like the title of the example page

**williamsun** · 07-28-2012, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by bernie1227

Just as a question, how are you getting it emailed to you? Just a comment, it may be easier (and more customisable) to write some php to submit the form to the database, so that you don't have to read 50 emails a day or whatever.

Hope you like the title of the example page

Yeah, that was pretty good.

A php sorting database is a good idea, but I haven't gotten that far yet.

Godaddy has a basic form mailer that I use, and I just prefix form element names with letters/numbers so the values come in a logical list order.

The complicating problem I have with the running total or auto sum is, everything keys off of the length set by two drop down lists - feet and inches - then mostly radio buttons to determine options, so if a user doesn't make a selection the default is selected. All of the auto sum total scripts I found are single selection drop down lists or check boxes. I haven't found anything that combines them all like I need. I may have to abandon this and go to plan B. Or c or d or e.

A flash wizard interface to do it all might be just what I need, but it's way over my head to do something like that at my (non)level of expertise.

I think this may be a dead end.

**bernie1227** · 07-30-2012, 09:59 AM

wait, if I'm reading this correctly (which I might not be

), the problem is it is a preset form, so you don't have a good level of customisation? Is that the problem?

**williamsun** · 07-30-2012, 12:00 PM

I'm not sure exactly how you mean. The form is finished, I built it from scratch. It's very similar in function to a couple forms I have done before for the same thing on a previous site. I have the look and feel customized the way I want, just no totaling function. Someone fills out the form with selected options and custom textarea fields and the form mailer sends it to me as an itemized list with options and descriptions.......I email them back to confirm order and total price, and arrange 50% deposit to start building.

A running total or auto sum field displayed above the submit button for instance, would be very intuitive for the customer and save time and effort for both of us. I would really like to find a way to do this, but I don't know if it is workable.