[Snippet] eForm - The Electronic form Snippet

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  • 28 Posts
  eagleshout Reply #271, 20 years ago

  Quote from: ed at Sep 29, 2006, 01:36 PM

  
  
  I was not trying to adopt an unhelpful tone, bad vibes? nasty mojo? please! However if anyone took offence then be assured that that was not my intent.
  
  In fact I went to great lengths to provide as much new detail as possible. However eForm is in a state where much of the ’documentation’ is unhelpful or absent. Did I read the messages in this thread? yes 18 pages of them, do I enjoy making notes on 18 pages sorting out the wheat from the chaff? no I do not. . . .
  
  I reported 3 specific problems in great detail, these caused me to waste a great deal of time, I hope I saved others doing likewise.
  
  Point taken, I wrote in some frustration having spent the better part of a day fixing problems that were not of my making, work which updated documentation or even comments could have avoided.
  
  My comments should have been better phrased and I apologise for posting things which should have been edited out.
  
  Ed
  

  
  
  Ed, (this is a sarcastic word of encouragement, please regard any verbs as pure excessive fiction)
  
  I’ve been down this road numerous times. The first thing you should know about this forum is that "most" ANY inference regarding poor documentation will illicit the reaction and misinterpretation you received here. You should also know that, now that you have apologized for communicating your frustration with sorting through unnecessary forum posts, you have been added to a blacklist that will assure that if you do express the slightest dissatisfaction in the future, you will be disregarded and possibly even shunned. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, don’t offer to help with the documentation, the development or the marketing. This would also likely be regarded as offensive langauage and you might be relegated to the class of insurgent.
  
  Good luck with crossing the border . . . and welcome aboard!
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  • 358 Posts
  Uncle68 Reply #272, 20 years ago

  If I want to complain about documentation and other stuff, I go buy a commercial product for lots of money.
  
  If I want to use really good software for free I use "free" software. If I choose to use free software I know that I can’t demand that everything is documented like it is in some commercial software.
  
  Instead of complaining over missing things I know I’m always welcome to help out.
  
  If you don’t think the documentation is good enough for eForm, why don’t you write a better one? That would help! Complaining and being rude does not!
  
  I’m pretty new to MODx, but I have never seen a better community offering such quick and great support!
  
  (I wish my English were better, then I would tell you what I really think of yours posts!)
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  sottwell Reply #273, 20 years ago

  now, children, play nice
  
  MODx and most of the "core" snippets are undergoing a serious metamorphosis. I’ve been using eForm since its inception, and it has evolved considerably and rather suddenly in the last few weeks. It’s rough, I know, I don’t understand half of what’s being released yet myself. It can indeed be very frustrating. In fact, I haven’t even downloaded the new version yet!
  
  The only person I’ve ever totally ignored was a rather obnoxious young man who thought inviting the "modx ladies" to undress was funny. Nobody will shun hacks, patches, tutorials, or other helpful posts. In fact, most of the existing team started out doing just that, and got invited "in" because of it. Just keep in mind that there is a grandmother here, and post as if you knew that your grandmother is going to be reading it
  Studying MODX in the desert - http://sottwell.com
  Tips and Tricks from the MODX Forums and Slack Channels - http://modxcookbook.com
  Join the Slack Community - http://modx.org
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  • 28 Posts
  eagleshout Reply #274, 20 years ago

  I couldn’t help my last post and hopefully it will stir as much vitriol as the frustration that Ed, myself and countless others have experienced with the documentation. As I have offered (and documented via my forum posts ; ) I’m willing to help! I’ve said that from the beginning. I’ve also read dozens of posts from other folks who at one time or another offered their help. Many of these folks Have offered because they too experienced similar frustrations with either the documentation or having to sift through dozens of forum posts for current support info.
  
  I’m done apologizing for any misinterpretations regarding what "appears" to be my unhelpful tone, bad vibes, etc. especially when I’m only expressing my frustration with poor documentation and it’s alternative the "haystack" method of using this forum. I’m also tired of being told "it’s FREE what more do you want." That’s a cop out, especially when you have people offering (almost) daily to contribute to the documentation.
  
  Why not create a wiki for any modules that make it to the repository? Why not allow the help docs to be updated by those who are contributing to the development, upgrade or implementation of the modules? Why not permit folks like myself who have years of experience with technical instruction post tutorials? And, god forbid, why not allow all those folks who have experienced frustration and still offered to help - actually participate - instead of the typical pile-on that seems to occur in these forums whenever someone gets frustrated.
  
  Hopefully, other user/members will be equally as determined to call for better documentation, and demand more from this community. Ultimately, that’s what will make this community better than the best!
• • MODX Staff
  • 1,535 Posts
  Garry Nutting Reply #275, 20 years ago

  Hi eagleshout,
  
  I’m sorry if you feel this way, we don’t aim to shun anyone who offers to help out! We welcome all contributions whatever form they take, as Susan says, that’s how most of us (including me) ended up on the MODx team. Damn, without the help and involvement of the community, most open source software dies a very quick death.
  
  As for wikis, these have been discussed and if I have my facts correct, expect something to happen post-0.9.5 release - it’s an option worth trying out, if it works then great, if not then at least it’s been tried.
  
  And, a note to any documentors who do want to help out, get yourself over to the documentation forum and let us have your contributions. More the merrier, as I say! So, eagleshout, I anticipate your documentation contributions
  
  
  Garry Nutting
  Senior Developer
  MODX, LLC
  
  Email: [email protected]
  Twitter: @garryn
  Web: modx.com
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  xwisdom Reply #276, 20 years ago

  
  @ed: Personally I don’t think I like the wording of your first post but I think I understand what you’re saying. If anyone should be blamed for poor documentation then blame me. At the time I created eForm for my personal use but did not get around to writing complete documentation and examples. So rather than waiting to complete the documentation I decided to post what I had inside the forum.
  
  @eagleshout: As far as I know persons that have joined the MODx team all started out as contributors in these forms. Some contributed their time in helping to resolve problems while other have contributed valuable modules and patches. I don’t think anyone would want to shun you because you have offered to help with documenting portions of the system.
  
  In closing I would like to say thanks to everyone for sharing his or her suggestions and ideas. Many thanks to all those who have chosen to use eForm as their form mailer and special thanks to those who have contributed otherwise.
  
  xWisdom
  www.xwisdomhtml.com
  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom:
  MODx Co-Founder - Create and do more with less.
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  • 2,204 Posts
  Dimmy Reply #277, 20 years ago

  Quote from: ed at Sep 29, 2006, 01:39 PM

  
  In the report form is there any way to get plain text reports. If I simply omit the html, will it do do what I expect?
  
  Ed
  

  
  I do not know what you expect but if you want a plain text report that mak a report just holding the field tags and you will get just that. you can make it a fancy as you like I made soem forms that hold company logo’s and return links but i also made some report that had just this:
  Name: Dimmy
  Adres: lippestret 22
  etc etc
  
  So any thing you want would be posible I think. Plain or HTML
  follow me on twitter: @dimmy01
• • MODX Staff
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  Ryan Thrash Reply #278, 20 years ago

  eagleshout and ed,
  
  I would tremendously welcome any contributions and focus on the documentation. Most folks that started on the team did in fact just start making contributions, and wound being invited to participate. Our documentation is sorely lacking in completeness, but I hope you can understand a bit of hesitation on spending a lot of time documenting stuff that is in a state of flux.
  
  Which wiki do you suggest we use? It’s been covered elsewhere, but I’d be curious as to which one you find optimal. Sorry that we contributed to your frustration and I look forward to your contributions.
  Ryan Thrash, MODX Co-Founder
  Follow me on Twitter at @rthrash or catch my occasional unofficial thoughts at thrash.me
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  • 134 Posts
  arphaus Reply #279, 20 years ago

  how do i create a required checkbox (ie for agreeing to terms & conditions) and how would i make the sender’s email the ’reply to’ to the email that is generated?
  
  thank you.
  Sorry - not using ModX anymore 01/01/2007
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  TobyL Reply #280, 20 years ago

  Quote from: arphaus at Oct 03, 2006, 12:33 AM

  
  how do i create a required checkbox (ie for agreeing to terms & conditions) and how would i make the sender’s email the ’reply to’ to the email that is generated?
  
  thank you.
  

  
  
  Place these fields in your form template:
  

  <input type="checkbox" name="fldTerms" value="agreed" eform="Terms & Conditions::1" />
  <input type="text" name="fldEmail" value="" eform="Email Address:email:1" />
  

  
  
  Snippet call:
  

  [!eForm? &to=`[email protected]` &tpl=`formTemplate` &report=`reportTemplate` &replyto=`fldEmail` !]
  

  
  
  Hope that helps.
  eForm | eForm support | eForm @ wiki

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