Form Serialization Idea

I've started a document a while back. It's related to Robin's File and
FileList proposal, taking it a step towards complete FORM
serialization. Robin suggested I post my idea up here, so here goes...

The problem: No standard, reliable way to get FORM data to an Ajax request.

Proposal:
interface HTMLFormElement {
  string getDataSetString(); raises FileException
  string toJSONString(); raises FileException
};

I've tried to exhaust the pros and cons of other possible solutions,
and provided numerous references here:
http://dhtmlkitchen.com/rec/FormSerialization.html

The proposed functionality is hand-rolled into every Ajax libary
(using javascript), and the logic to get the FORM's successful
controls is more complicated than it initially would seem. It's
problematic to have to depend on a library when the library components
are interdependent on other library components. For example, use YUI,
jQuery, or Prototype, but don't mix them in the same page.

Garrett

-- 
Programming is a collaborative art.

Received on Tuesday, 11 September 2007 20:23:02 UTC