Modifying a form in an HTML Editor

Note: This topic applies to the Groove 2.5 version of the Groove Forms tool.

If you have the Groove Workspace Professional License, you can edit forms in the Forms tool by exporting them to an HTML editor, and then importing the edited versions. This is especially useful if you want to adjust the layout and formatting of your form fields. For example, the Forms tool allows only a vertical layout of form fields (that is, fields can't be placed horizontally next to each other), and provides only a default set of font and style settings for text. However, once you open an exported form in an HTML editor, you can rearrange fields and apply any formatting you want, then import the edited version in the Forms tool.

Note You cannot import a form into the Forms tool that was created entirely in another program. You can only import a form that was originally created in the Forms tool and then exported.

As a general rule, it's best to try to add all the fields you think you'll want in the form before exporting and updating in an HTML Editor. You can still add new fields (or remove them) after importing updates, but many other activities you can do in the Forms Manager become restricted. For example, you can no longer edit field properties in the Forms Manager.

Limitations and caveats for external form editing

Keep the following important limitations and caveats in mind before you export forms for editing:

Once you modify fields in an external HTML editor, you can no longer update the properties for these fields in Groove in the Forms Manager after you import the edited form. All subsequent editing of field properties needs to take place in the HTML editor.

You may notice that you can still access the field properties for these fields in the Forms Manager, but any changes you make will not be reflected on the form.
All fields in any form that has been edited externally display in an italic font and are labeled as "Custom" fields in the Modify Forms window. For example:

Note that even if you don't explicitly edit certain fields in the external editor, these fields still become custom fields once you import the edited form back into Groove.
You can add as many new fields as you want to an exported form in your HTML editor, using whatever method you prefer. For example, use the features provided in a visual editor, copy and paste existing fields, or enter HTML code directly.

Note, however, that although new fields will appear in the form when you import it, these fields will not appear in the field list for modifying forms or views. If you want to be able to reference fields in your data views, you must be careful to add these fields BEFORE you export the form for editing.
You can delete fields in the HTML editor, using whatever method you prefer.

Note, however, that although the fields will appear deleted from the form after you import it, the fields will still be listed in the Forms Manager, unless you subsequently delete them in the Forms Manager.
You can add references to external files, such as scripts or images, provided that you store these files in the same folder as the exported form file. You cannot use absolute references to external files, or relative references that refer to files in another directory.

The following file reference is valid:
<img src="myimage.gif">

The following file references are NOT valid:
<img src="../../myimage.gif">
<img src="c:\myimagefolder\myimage.gif">

You can add new fields to the form in the Forms Manager after you import the revised form, and these new fields are fully editable. All new fields get appended to the bottom of the form.

Note also that although you can still move fields up and down in the field list in the Forms Manager after you've exported and customized them (using the Move Up and Move Down buttons), doing so will no longer affect their actual position in the form layout.

However, you can move any new fields you add up or down in the field list, though only among the new fields.

For example, suppose you export a form that contains ten fields, edit that form in your HTML edit, and import it. You then add five additional fields. You can then move any of the new fields up or down in the list, and their position in the form layout will correspond to their position relative to each other. If you move a new field up the list among the fields you customized in the HTML editor, the new field will appear as the first field among the new, appended fields.
If you uncheck a field to remove it from the form, save the form, and then check the field again to restore it, the field gets restored but is appended to the bottom of the form. If you want to restore the field to its previous location, you must export the form and modify it in an HTML editor.

Exporting, editing, and importing forms

You can use any HTML editor such as Frontpage, Dreamweaver, or Homesite.

Open the Forms Manager, select the form you want to modify, and click Export Form... to open the Export Form to File... dialog box.
Select a folder and file name and click Save to export the form to disk as an HTML file.
Open the exported HTML file in your HTML Editor, and modify as you wish.

See the limitations and caveats for editing external forms for important details.
When you're ready to test your changes, return to the Forms Manager in the Forms tool.
Select the form you exported, and click Import Form... to open the Open Form HTML File dialog box.
Select the edited HTML file, and click Open.

A prompt displays asking if the form depends on any new files such as images or scripts.
Do one of the following:

If you didn't reference any files during the current editing session, click No to replace the form now.
If you referenced any files during the current editing session, click Yes, select the file(s) in the Open Form Dependency Files dialog box, and click Open.

To test your changes, click Back to Data List, and add a new record.