Form Tools derive the bulk of their default behaviour from the metadata defined in the content type property tags.

Example Form Tool Metadata

<!--- General Contact Details --->
<cfproperty name="firstname" type="string" hint="First name." required="no" default="" ftlabel="Firstname" />
<cfproperty name="lastname" type="string" hint="Last name." required="no" default="" ftvalidation="required" ftlabel="Lastname" />
<cfproperty name="Position" type="string" hint="Job title, position." required="no" default="" ftlabel="Position" />

All form tool metadata is extended <cfproperty> metadata. The specific attributes are all prefixed by ft, for example ftlabel.

Form Tool Data Types

fttype can be used with the following options:

These components can be found at core.packages.formtools

These form tool options can be extended or supplemented from the FarCry project code base.

General Property Options

Attribute	Description	Value
blabel	Boolean; true/false. Maps this property to the types.label property.	In the absence of any blabel metadata it will look for substitute property; title, name or properties containing the string name.
bSave	Boolean; true/false. Determines if property should be saved to the database on setData(). Useful for custom properties that you may want to be handled external to FarCry, such as ident fields	True; default.

General Formtool Property Options

Attribute	Description	Value
ftlabel	Text label for the form element	Defaults to property name if absent.
ftshowlabel	Flag to show/hide text label for the form element	Defaults to true.
ftSeq	Numeric value for form field display order	No default value.
ftFieldset	Text used as a title to group a set of fields.	No default value.
ftWizardStep	Allows you to create multi-step forms. Set to the title of the step as you would ftFieldset	No Default Value.
ftstyle	Inline style to apply to form element.	No default value.
ftclass	Class to apply to form element.	No default value.
ftDisplayOnly	Boolean that prevents the field from being editable.	False
ftDefault	Default form field value	No default value.
ftDefaultType	The type of default value; value, expression or evaluate.	Defaults to value.
fthelptitle	Title of a fieldset related inline help. Only works on the first property in a fieldset.	n/a
fthelpsection	Section text for inline help related to fieldsset. Only works on the first property in a fieldset.	n/a
ftvalidation	A comma separated list of validation requirements.	n/a
fthint	A small inline hint that appears below the field to assist users.	n/a
ftEditMethod	Specify a function name. eg. myEditFunction cffunction name="myEditFunction" Can then be overwritten in 'ft:object' using 'stPropMetadata'	Defaults to ftEdit<propertyName> eg. cffunction name="ftEdit<propertyName>"

ftDefaultType Options

Examples of default type usage.

For todays date, use ftdefault="now()" ftdefaulttype="evaluate" and you'll get the result of Evaluate(now())

Expression does this Evaluate(DE(yourvalue)) – no good example springs to mind.

Note: If the attributes ftSeq and ftFieldset are not used all properties will be displayed in the form. If ftSeq and ftFieldset are used only those fields with these attributes will be displayed in the form. This allows you show only the properties that want visible on your generated form.