Need Tips for Address/Phone/Fax/Zip fields for 'join our organization' form -worldwide access
Hi all,
I am making a form that will allow people to join an organization that has international members. I've done this a million times, but only for US residents, or a specific state. My question is a general one:
What is the best way to develop this form so that I can control the data input, given that different countries have different syntaxes for address, city,state,zip, phone, and fax fields?
My current thinking is that I will make an image map that redirects to a join form customized for a region (i.e. US registrants, African registrants, etc), but I don't want to end up with 500 join forms. Plus, I don't know that there is an 'African' standard like there is for the US - it may be that each country has a different syntax; I really want to keep it as simple as necessary, BUT I don't want a form with free text boxes, necessarily.
Based on your experience, what is the best way to accomplish this task?
Thanks in advance!
-g8tor
I am making a form that will allow people to join an organization that has international members. I've done this a million times, but only for US residents, or a specific state. My question is a general one:
What is the best way to develop this form so that I can control the data input, given that different countries have different syntaxes for address, city,state,zip, phone, and fax fields?
My current thinking is that I will make an image map that redirects to a join form customized for a region (i.e. US registrants, African registrants, etc), but I don't want to end up with 500 join forms. Plus, I don't know that there is an 'African' standard like there is for the US - it may be that each country has a different syntax; I really want to keep it as simple as necessary, BUT I don't want a form with free text boxes, necessarily.
Based on your experience, what is the best way to accomplish this task?
Thanks in advance!
-g8tor
have you tried looking at other similar solutions from major players, M$, Macromedia, Adobe etc all have some way of customising to a country etc. have a look at their payment / e-mail newsletter joining forms.
ASKER
Thanks for the post, Alex. Sure, I could look at a ton of sites and glean their methodology, but the reason I've posted my query here is that I don't really want to re-invent the wheel. If I wanted to spend a day examining other site's forms in the hopes of fnding a good one, I wouldn't post a 250 point question to experts-exchange! Other developers have already broached this topic, and other developers already know a good solution - that's what I'm looking for...
I want to know how other developers address this issue...is there a web developer site out there devoted to this topic? Is there a PARTICULAR site that does it well? Does someone have some canned form code that works well for them? Is there a particular methodology I should use (1 generalized form vs. several region-specific forms, or vice-versa?)
I do appreciate your comments, but I am looking for something more specific than what you posted...
-g8tor
I want to know how other developers address this issue...is there a web developer site out there devoted to this topic? Is there a PARTICULAR site that does it well? Does someone have some canned form code that works well for them? Is there a particular methodology I should use (1 generalized form vs. several region-specific forms, or vice-versa?)
I do appreciate your comments, but I am looking for something more specific than what you posted...
-g8tor
g8tor23,
> If I wanted to spend a day examining other site's forms in the hopes of fnding
> a good one...
that's what you are expecting other people to do for you.. fair enough then i'm out of here
Alex
> If I wanted to spend a day examining other site's forms in the hopes of fnding
> a good one...
that's what you are expecting other people to do for you.. fair enough then i'm out of here
Alex
I've never tried a registration form for such a wide scope, but the truth is it's not that complicated. I' recently had to fill up a few forms for different organisms that issue internacional forms (I'm internacional ;). They where very similar.
All you need to do is go easy on validation requirements (Exmpl: don't force zip code, very few countries have them) and allow some space for special information. Other than that I would recommend you checked the amazon.com registration forms, you can't go bigger/broather than that.
Regards,
Esopo.
All you need to do is go easy on validation requirements (Exmpl: don't force zip code, very few countries have them) and allow some space for special information. Other than that I would recommend you checked the amazon.com registration forms, you can't go bigger/broather than that.
Regards,
Esopo.
ASKER
Thanks Esopo...which Amazon reg form? I poked around a bit, but couldn't find a 'registration form'.
I may end up keeping it generalized...how about 2 formsa - What do you think of one for the States, which I can validate, and a more general one for everywhere else?
-g8tor
I may end up keeping it generalized...how about 2 formsa - What do you think of one for the States, which I can validate, and a more general one for everywhere else?
-g8tor
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ASKER
Thanks for the tips, Trail..I'll leave this open for a few days to give others a chace to respond, then close it out and award the points. So far, you've answered the question the most, even though the answer is pretty much what I was already thinking.
Thanks again,
-g8tor
Thanks again,
-g8tor
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g8tor23
Yeah take your time no rush, if you have any other questions, just ask... no prob. If you have any questions about those forms I've made quite a few of them, so maybe I'll be able to give ya some better ideas for an over all form or for some international input validation.
Rgds,
~trail
Yeah take your time no rush, if you have any other questions, just ask... no prob. If you have any questions about those forms I've made quite a few of them, so maybe I'll be able to give ya some better ideas for an over all form or for some international input validation.
Rgds,
~trail
Hey g8tor23,
Just curious, are you still having difficulties with trying to set up you address form???
Regards,
~trail
Just curious, are you still having difficulties with trying to set up you address form???
Regards,
~trail