Form Input Fields

Text-based form fields all work the same way in Trongate. Learn one, know them all.

The Pattern

Every input helper follows this structure:

• $name - the field name (required)
• $value - the default value (optional)
• $attributes - array of HTML attributes (optional)

Available Input Types

Basic Examples

Text Input

With a Default Value

With Attributes

Email Fields

Use form_email() for email addresses. Browsers will validate the format automatically:

Password Fields

Use form_password() for password input. The value is never displayed:

Number Fields

Use form_number() for numeric input with optional min, max, and step:

Search Fields

Use form_search() for search boxes. Some browsers add a clear button automatically:

Hidden Fields

Use form_hidden() for data that needs to be submitted but not displayed:

How to Repopulate Forms After Validation Errors

When a form fails validation, you need to redisplay it with the user's entered values. In Trongate, this follows the MVC pattern:

Controller Example

View Example

The controller fetches the posted data using post(), then passes it to the view. The view receives these values as variables.

Real-World Example: User Registration Form

First, the controller prepares the data:

Then the view displays the form:

Common Attributes

Here are the most commonly used attributes:

Multiple Attributes Example

Controller:

View:

Working with Arrays

Field names can use array syntax for grouping related data. The controller handles the data extraction:

View: