RE: using xForms for business

Tony,
 
XForms can handle some of these functionalities. Others will need a server
side processing in an internet environment.
It can be a little tricky though.
 
You can use a repeat element to allow multiple rows in your form.
 
1. You can use additional instances to handle auxiliary data (description of
the goods, avail, vendor) and bind it to the appropriate fields. An event
tied to the barcode field can post to an external URI and reload the
auxiliary instance data with the new descriptions. As the elements are bound
to the instance, the information will appear.
2. The form data is validated during the submission. You can specify in your
schema basic validation rules. I'm not sure if this would be enough.
3. I don't see a direct way to do it using XForms. 
4. The event model in XForms is very powerful. You could submit the form
data (partially or not) for each filled row, it depends on your validation
rules
 
XForms is a complete paradigm change, I suggest you to read Dubinko's XForms
Essential book before going deeper into tools.
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: www-forms-request@w3.org [mailto:www-forms-request@w3.org]On Behalf Of
Tony Tay
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 3:41 AM
To: www-forms@w3.org
Subject: using xforms for business


hi,
 
I deployed a client/server application for a company to do their daily
operations.  A example snapshot is show below.
 
1. when a Barcode value (see highlight in snapshot below) is entered, the
description for the goods are picked up from database (using Oracle's Store
Procedure) and populated into readonly fields (Goods, Avail, Vendor).
2. each field may need to run it's own validation when needed
3. the toggle buttons at the bottom of screen allows the cursor to move
between different fields:
    (a)  When checkbox Barcode/Vendor ID Entity is selected --  the cursor
will move from Barcode -> Goods --> Avail --> Gst --> Vendor and then back
to Barcode in the next line.
    (b)  The next check box moves the cursor from Buyer --> Sold  --> Sale
Amount fields
4. Each row of data is automatically updated to the database when it tabs
(or the RETURN key is pressed) out of the current row into the next.  This
behaviour is very much like MS Access forms approach.
 
Question:   I would like to know if XForms can handle such processing ?  If
it can, i would very much like to upgrade the application to XForms and have
everything running via the internet browser.
Also please advice as to what would be a good tool and place to start from.
Thanks.  I have no working knowledge of XForms (other than reading info from
the various related websites)
 
 
 
 
 
Regards,
Tony