[nodebb-plugin-forms] Request for feedback

[PitaJ]

I'm developing a plugin that will allow Admins to create forms for their website to perform various functions (apply for private groups, contact the admin, etc).

I am planning on the following features (feel free to suggest more):

• All different kinds of form elements
• Responsive forms (answers affect what is shown)
• Multiple stages (a user fills out one stage, another user fills out another stage) (maybe)
• Easy-to-use, drag and drop creation interface
• Private forms (only certain groups or users can see them)
• Forms can be cloned and edited
• Captcha (including no-captcha)
• Ability to add custom actions via an external api
• Option for the ability for users to edit their form response and see past forms

So, this is my question: what actions would you like the forms to be able to do?

Here is my current list of actions, which I will update with other suggestions as they come in.

• Apply a group to a user
• Send an email to user(s) and/or group(s)
• Send a notification to user(s) and/or group(s)
• Send a pm on behalf of certain users to other users or groups
• Create a new topic
• Send email to a specific address

[julian]

That sounds amazing Let us know if you need anything from the core!

[psychobunny]

When it's built (very soon!): a form that will allow you to send an application (via PM?) to a Group admin to request invitation? (Flashbacks to WoW Guild applications)

[Mega]

@pitaj said:

what actions would you like the forms to be able to do?

Create a new topic.

Let's imagine someone has a gaming community. After user is registered typically he wants submit an application.
With abilities that we have now in NodeBB, he should create a new topic in a special category by following some rules (let's say copy/paste an example, then fill it with his data). It will be perfect if a user will be able to fill a form instead.

[PitaJ]

@Mega @psychobunny

Yeah, I'm actually building all of these plugins with my clan's needs in mind (I'm using NodeBB for the new website, cuz Enjin sucks)
It's surprising how many gaming forums there are.

[frissdiegurke]

I'd suggest adding captcha-fields required for submitting (optional of cause) even so your idea of responsive forms fulfill this job for static humanity-questions.

And I dislike drag&drop at all please don't spent to much time into this

[Justin]

This would be awesome! I have a couple suggestions:

1. Anti-Spam Features
2. Custom Form Routing (Subject = Sales > sales@domain.com, Subject = Support > support@domain.com)

You're list pretty much has what I needed for now

[PitaJ]

@Justin What kind of anti-spam features? Captchas and no-captcha are already on the list.

[Justin]

@pitaj Those two would be fine for me, specifically NoCaptcha if possible. Also the ability to CC the user to provide a copy of the form to them also after they submit.

[PitaJ]

Would any plugin developers / front end developers with some free time want to collaborate with me to build this plugin? I'd like to finish this ASAP but right now I'm working on the Calendar plugin.

If anyone would like to work on the front end of this plugin, contact me and we'll work stuff out.

Thanks.

[yariplus]

@pitaj I would be interested in helping with this.

[yariplus]

Could I get some opinions on this so far? or some people to try it out?

Most everything is drag and drop (I'll be adding a non-drag and drop mode), all of the standard inputs work and are fully editable. Still working on the html5 inputs. Most inputs can be edited in-place or via the modal dialog by clicking the green cog. Whatever you enter/select on the actual input will be the default value, which you can clear by clicking the pink eraser. The white checkbox requires the input, the blue files clone it, and the X deletes.

The live forms are viewable at the url forms/ID or parsed into a post. There's no backend, so if you submit a forum it should just reply with an empty page with the results.

I haven't pushed it to npm, so pull it from github to try it out.
https://github.com/pitaj/nodebb-plugin-forms

[PitaJ]

@yariplus looks awesome. Sorry I couldn't help you or with the back end, I've been really busy lately. (School, other projects)

[yariplus]

@pitaj No problem! I'm having fun with it. And there's still plenty more to do.

[psychobunny]

Holy carp, that looks pretty awesome. Good job!

[frissdiegurke]

o_O "Rate this form on a scale of 1-10" 11 I guess this is an intended bug

All in all

Much Wow

[frissdiegurke]

Action-Proposal:

• redirect user to generated link (e.g. for donation with value-selection)

And I'd abstract the idea of buttons: add buttons just like inputs and assign actions to each of them.

Hence another action

• clear form

[yariplus]

@frissdiegurke

redirect user to generated link (e.g. for donation with value-selection)

Good idea!

And I'd abstract the idea of buttons: add buttons just like inputs and assign actions to each of them.

I was considering this, but I could not think of any buttons besides clear and submit, so I just add them to the form automatically. Is there any more you can think of?

I will be adding a custom input type too, so either way it will be possible to add your own buttons soon.

[frissdiegurke]

@yariplus My main reasons for custom buttons would be

• If you don't want a clear-button
• If you want the submit button to have a custom text on it

So these would be easy to manage by individual solutions but a more general solution would be completely customizable buttons.

And just with custom "input type" it wouldn't be easy to assign the actions, would it?

[TheAussie]

when posting the form where does it go.. because all i get is /forms/post.