node-widgets v1.1.3

Node Widgets

A NodeJS module for form generation with validation. This creates a form and form elements on server and return it to client using a json object called from client. You can edit the attributes in the json object and that reflects on the form elements.

Version 1.1.3

The supported form elements are text, password, hidden, number, email, url, textarea, select, checkbox, radio and validations are supported to text, password, number, email, url, taxtarea

Demo

1. Clone the repository and go to demo folder and type npm install to install the necessary packages.
2. Type node server. Then go to localhost:1234 or see the command prompt or terminal to know the port that app is running...

Or

Checkout this Live Demo

Setup

To install this module in your node project.

npm install node-widgets

So this install the dependencies and node-widgets module to your project and then you are good to go.

Implementation

Json Object

The Json object tells the library to create form and form elements that required.

This is a basic json object.

{
"form": "myForm",         //form name you need - optional (auto generated a form name if not)
"action": "/validate",    // method that form need to call - you can change this based on your routes/requirement
"method": "post",         // method type
"fields": {               // you need to mention this "fields"to create fields you required.
  "username": {           // this is the name of the element
    "label" : "Username",           // this is setted as label - optional
    "type": "text",                 // type of the element
    "class": "form-control",        // CSS class you need to render
    "required": true,               // required ? helps for validation : no validation takes place
    "minlen" : 10,                  // min length you allow
    "maxlen" : 20,                  // max length allow
    "msg": "Username is required"   // Error message that needs to render for required attribute (for min/max auto msg generated)
  },
   "age" : {              // Name of the element  
    "label" : "Age",
    "type" : "number",
    "class": "form-control",
    "required": true,
    "msg" : "Age is Invalid",
    "minval": 10,                   // Min value allowed
    "maxval" : 80                   // Max value allowed
  }
 }
}

So the common attributes for an input element are

1. label
2. type
3. class
4. value

Attributes that helps validation are

1. required - Boolean
2. minlen - Numeric
3. maxlen - Numeric
4. minval - Numeric
5. maxval - Numeric
6. match - String (name of the other element Ex: "match" : "password")

Function

There are only two functions in this library that takes care of form elements generation and validation.

toHTML

This function helps to create a form.

var nodeWidget = require('node-widgets');

var inputs = {
    "form": "myForm",
    "action": "/validate",
    "method": "post",
    "fields": {
      "username": {
        "label" : "Username",
        "type": "text",
        "class": "form-control",
        "required": true,
        "minlen" : 10,
        "maxlen" : 20,
        "msg": "Username is required"
      }
    }
  }

// create the form with json object
nodeWidget.toHTML(inputs, function(err, form){
  if(err) { throw err; }
  // form - is the template rendered HTML elements
});

validate

This method helps to validate the form, If form is valid it returns true with the complete form with data. if form is not valid then it returns false with updated form with error message and data..

var nodeWidget = require('node-widgets');
var bodyParser = require('body-parser');

var incomingData = req.body;

nodeWidget.validate(incomingData, function(err, valid, form){
  if(err) { throw err; }
  //valid  - boolean to know form is valid or not (true or false)
  //form - with updated err message and same elements to render
});