Roedy Green said:
Take a chill pill, man! The browser environment is not the same as an
application environment. While JavaScript can permit the validation of
field data as you enter it, many people turn it off. And a well-designed
form framework won't lose previously entered data.
Struts addresses both of these issues with the validator. It can even
generate JavaScript to validate fields before submission to the server.
So check out what can be achieved today rather than seeking the "latest
and greatest" new thingy. I don't know about you but I don't like being
on the "bleeding edge"...too painful!
I get angry about his because we had better data validation on the
Apple ][ with version 1 of Abundance than you get today. Forms has
been such a giant step backwards in data entry.
While I willingly work in it, I dislike the entire browser paradigm of data
entry. I like to refer to it as 1960s technology. I've always believed that
as the developer gained greater control over the UI (via GUIs) that they
also had a greater responsibility to communicate to the user. When we had
screen/record-level control, we provided screen/record-level responses.
Since we've achieved keystroke-level control, we should provide responses at
the same level. The UIs state should change as needed (can't hit Submit
until the data is valid) within the practical limits imposed by performance
requirements. The whole FORM-based entry irritates me, especially coupled
with stateless transactions -- 1960s technology.
Javascript and/or DHTML can provide some level of keystroke-level response,
but javascript can be turned off and you still have to write all the
validation at the backend *as well* because the data stream between the
client and the host is easily faked and the host should never rely upon
validation that was done at the client.
- Virgil
