Top strategy for incorporating/displaying extra form fields

Seeking advice on improving user interface design. I want to develop a form that enables users to add more fields by clicking on a "+" or "add" button. For instance, the user can fill out a text field labeled as "Description," followed by another field named "Unit number." I aim to permit multiple "Description" and "Unit number" fields without submitting the form after each entry. However, I wish to avoid cluttering the site with duplicate fields if the user only requires one. My initial thought was to use JavaScript to hide additional fields using display:none. Is this approach effective? Are there better alternatives available? As a novice programmer, I appreciate your guidance and understanding of my limited expertise.

Answer №1

To optimize this process, consider organizing your fields within a div element and concealing it. Employ jQuery to duplicate your initial row using the .clone method and modify the field names dynamically whenever the user interacts with an add link.

Answer №2

To simplify the process, consider utilizing a templating library such as mustache or handlebars. Alternatively, jQuery can also be used for this task. My preferred method involves dynamically generating new elements without hiding them initially to allow users to see if they are entering duplicate information. However, for a cleaner markup, you can hide the field once the user has entered something. Upon clicking the add button, ensure to verify if the user has inputted any data. If an input is present, hide it and proceed to generate a new input field.

If you require a code example, don't hesitate to request one.

Answer №3

Some time ago, I crafted this piece of JavaScript for my personal website:

 var SITE = SITE || {};

SITE.fileInputs = function() {
  var $this = $(this),
      $val = $this.val(),
      valArray = $val.split('\\'),
      newVal = valArray[valArray.length-1],
      $button = $this.siblings('.button'),
      $fakeFile = $this.siblings('.file-holder');
  if(newVal !== '') {
    $button.text('File Chosen');
    if($fakeFile.length === 0) {
      $button.after('<span class="file-holder">' + newVal + '</span>');
    } else {
      $fakeFile.text(newVal);
    }
  }
};
var counter = 1;
var limit = 5;
function addInput(divName){
     if (counter == limit)  {
          alert("You have reached the limit of adding " + counter + " inputs");
     }
     else {
          var newdiv = document.createElement('div');
          newdiv.innerHTML = "<span class=\"file-wrapper\"><input type=\"file\" name=\"screenshot[]\" id=\"screenshot\" /><span class=\"button\">Choose a screenshot</span></span>";
          document.getElementById(divName).appendChild(newdiv);
          counter++;
          $('.file-wrapper input[type=file]').bind('change focus click', SITE.fileInputs);
     }
}
$(document).ready(function(){
    $("#addss").click(function(){
        addInput("screenshots");
    });
});

Now, you can utilize the array to handle data in PHP or any other platform you prefer.

Below is the HTML structure:

<div id="screenshots">
     <span class="file-wrapper">
           <input type="file" name="screenshot[]" class="screenshot" />
           <span class="button">Choose a screenshot</span>
     </span>
</div>
<input type="button" id="addss" value="+Screenshot" class="btn" />

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