13 replies to this topic

[qsoft_dev]

Hi,
I have an html form that i would like external customers will be able to fill up and send it back to us.

<form action="email@email.com"?subject="email subject" method="submit">

For some reason in windows 7 64 bit, with outlook 2010 and explorer 9, mailto action doesn't work for me.
An empty outlook message is displayed and only the subject and recipients are added.
There is no attachment and no body text.
When I changed the default browser to FF i received the text i wanted in the body section instead as an attachment (postdata.att).
I can't use server code cause the html form is sent by outlook to external customers, so asp/php/cgi is irelevant for me.
Does anyone has a solution?

Thanks,

[+Seahorsepip]

Mailto works with a <a href="mailto:email@email.com">link</a> and makes the user able to open a email program and send a mail to email@email.com thsi does not however work like a email form.

To make a email form I suggest to use code like php,

you can easily copy paste code from here : http://www.freeconta.../email_form.php

[qsoft_dev]

Unfortunately as I mentioned, I really can't use a server side code, so PHP is also not an option.
What about CDO? Can I use it as a solution?
I read somewhere that microsoft doesn't support this technology with outlook 2010.
Is there some sort of a replacement for the CDO protocol?

[Haggis]

you say

Quote

I can't use server code cause the html form is sent by outlook to external customers,

Is it the fact you cant use server side code or don't know how to insert text into outlook message from php?

You can send mail directly from php using your own mail server to external clients

[qsoft_dev]

Hi,
i do know how to use a server side code. i have no problem with the part where I send the form the external customers.
My problem is when the customers submit the form they receive. At the moment I'm usiing the mailto action which works perfectly fine with IE8, but in IE9 returns a blank email with outlook 2010.
I have no control nor access to the web server of the client therefore I was looking for a solution which doesn't involve a server side script.

The database is located in my organization's server, I only need the customers to fill up some info via the form and to automatically update the data in my database.
Till now it worked great...

[Xoligy]

You have no access to the server but can update the mailto link? Sorry that does not make any sense.

Also i will add that any site that deals with customers/clients should have a fully working contact form rather than a link that opens an email client its more professional and easier for the users as not everyone uses outlook like you seem to be suggesting. I suggest you contact whoever this is and get them to sort out a contact form the problem would be fixed and it make them look more professional rather than cheap and lazy.

[qsoft_dev]

Thank you very much for your answer.
I need to explain my self better. The form is not part of a site.
My organization uses a VB software that has VB forms. One of the software's functions is to export a VB form into an HTML form and send it automatically through Outlook to external customers.
Since we work with Microsoft technology, and all our customers are organizations which use outlook and exchange server, it is the only thing we need to support.
The mailto action is generated automaticlly by the VB code and since the code was developed in house, we can change it if needed.
However, I can't change the external customers' server code! the only interaction with them is through the outlook mail.
When they submit the form, we get an email notification, we are requested to approve the data and only then the database is updated.
The problem occurs only when they submit the form and not when we send it to them.
I really need to find a better solution for this.
I understand that there lots of problems with the mailto action, and that it depends on the type of browser and mailbox I'm using. In my case, I already know that I need to make it work with outlook 2010 and IE9.
What could be the problem?

[+Seahorsepip]

The problem with mailto is simple... it's internet explorer itself, as always

And if it's microsoft server you could use asp instead of php , never heard of a web server unable to run anything besides html

And only using the mailto option isn't going to be working since the fault is not the webpage but webbrowser, this might be fixed in IE10 on windows 8, I can test it if you want.

[Xoligy]

Ok im confused and looking at this wrong what im getting is:

We create a form in VB its converted to HTML we send that to our customers
They then fill it in and send back, we then update our records after a notification

What i dont get is why your making it all complecated and you still dont use a form "Because we can not change there server code!" who says you have to change there's? Create the form like you normally would and then add the asp/php and upload to your serverserver and then email them the link to the form which they can fill in and then there is no issues. The db with their answer/answers can be in a separate db or even joint to the main one so that only 1 click rather will update x clients instead of 10 clicks being 10 clients or i could be set to do it every xminutes/hours.

Anyway i'll let Seahorse take over, some borderlands then bed i think besides im not a huge coder it just interests me.

[qsoft_dev]

+Seahorsepip, With what can you test it? Is there a beta version of IE10 or something?

[Haggis]

as Xoligy says

set up the html form on your webserver

send the clients a link

they click the link fill in the form and submit it

thats takes all responsibility on submitting stuff etc from them to your form

its the simplest and easiest way to do it

[qsoft_dev]

Xoligy, you are right that I can use server side code with my form and then upload it to our local web server, the only problem is that our customers are external customers. They have no access to our intranet web server, therefore, it does not matter if I send them a link to the form, they won't be able to open it.
It's a good solution to use a public internet server to host the forms, th problem here is the cost and maintenance that I'm sure we have the budget for it.

[Xoligy]

Cost is an issue in all businesses, and i guess it depends on how big your business is, how many forms you plan on running at the same time and if you see the solution saving time which is money and in this case i feel it would as for cost host + domain i say about £20-50 a year should cover you, then you just need a page marker or a fully working website and sort out how your links are going to work with the forms.

Look at it this way, once you have a site, forms and a database there is no need to check emails and update records which im guessing is what someone spends alot of time doing over and over again its wasted time imo.

[erikkin]

It is quite clear that you cannot use server side code so PHP cannot be used at all. So, CDO protocol can be used.

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