Web Based Form for clients to fill out

[FredP]

Here is the scenario, I want to create a form that will be hosted via web publishing that I want clients to be able to fill out online.

 

I dont want them to see other clients records. The main purpose for this is for them to fill out their forms, and then the data gets emailed to us, as well as it getting integrated into their project settings in another filemaker database.

 

My question for you guys, is - Is using Filemaker for web forms even a good idea? It seems like alot of work to get something up and running especially with custom web publishing when many fmp scripts are not web compatible.

 

Would I be better off having our web guy create the forms, and have him package up the data in a specific way so i can easily import it?

 

Im worried I am creating alot of work for myself, because if it is Filemaker, than I have to handle the Client Logins to the database, etc etc.

[Cathiis]

If I have this right, you currently have a FM db that is not online in which you would like to import the details of a form someone fills out online? You also have an online FM db? The answer really depends on your circumstances and the expertise you have available.

 

What type of email client would you consider using?

 

Using something like MS Outlook, every time an email arrives you can code via VBA for it to recognise certain patterns and then do something with the email.... ie if the subject is: Web Form Result :then parse the email to extract information based on certain triggers. ie, find the string Name: and copy the information on that line and store it as a variable.

 

Once you have extracted all the information into variables you could inject that information directly into an excel spreadsheet, once again via VBA, for importing into your db.

 

So the email option is no bed of roses either depending on how well you know VBA or the particular scripting language your email client uses.

 

I know this is pretty low tech, but couldn't you have the form produce a comma/pipe delimited text file which you can manually d/l and insert into the offline db?