Posted by jazzslider on 10/12/06 17:53

I have a headache.

I've done a LOT of research lately into XForms, and I am thoroughly
convinced that a good implementation of this technology would help me
immensely in converting my department's paper forms into interactive
online systems.

There are a couple of problems I'm facing that I'm hoping someone here
could help with. Number one: browser support for XForms is pitiful,
and I can't expect my target audience to download plugins/extensions
and the like. Number two: JavaScript is my Achilles heel, and I don't
have the first clue about Java, yet every workable XForms
implementation I've ever found uses some combination or other of those
technologies. The Java problem is compounded by the fact that I'm not
in control of my own server; I don't believe I have permission to
install Java code (the server people haven't answered that question
yet), even if I DID know how to use it.

So...this means implementations like Chiba and Orbeon are out of the
question, and although FormFaces is good JavaScript (that I don't have
to look at :D), it's WAY too slow for the forms I'm trying to use it
for. I've also played around with AjaxForms since it only actually
requires Java on the development machine, but it's incorrectly
implementing several crucial XForms specs.

Does anyone here know of a good server-side XForms engine written in
pure PHP (no Java)? It's fine by me if it generates
DHTML/JavaScript/etc. so long as I don't have to write the JavaScript
myself...I realize some kind of client scripting is necessary to make
the coolest stuff in XForms work; I just don't want to have to write it
myself.

Alternatively...I've heard good things about UGO + DENG, a Flash-based
XForms system...the only problem with that is that the website
responsible for that project doesn't seem to be working.

I really need some help with this, even if only to be told that what
I'm looking for doesn't exist yet.

Thank you all very much for any help you can offer!

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