Development:Block formslib

(This is currently a proposal and isn't available for use see MDL-9641).

Overview

The block formslib functions are designed to allow developers easily create forms for their blocks. Please read Development:lib/formslib.php for full details about using formslib.

Creating a Global Configuration form

In order to create a global confuration form using formslib, you must create a file /blocks/BLOCKNAME/config_global_form.php

In this file a class needs to be created which follows the naming scheme: block_BLOCKNAME_config_global_form and extends block_config_global_form

In your form configuration class you need to implement the block_configuration() method. Elements added will automatically saved in $CFG.

require_once $CFG->dirroot .'/blocks/block_config_global_form.php';

class block_BLOCKNAME_config_global_form extends block_config_global_form {

    function block_configuration(&$mform){

        // add a html editor text field named block_BLOCKNAME_text
        $mform->addElement('htmleditor', 'block_BLOCKNAME_text', get_string('text','BLOCKNAME'));

        // This will set the default value of the textfield to 'mydefaultstring'. (If $CFG->textfield 
        // exsts, it will be set to that when the form is loaded)
        $mform->setDefault('mydefaultstring');

        $mform->setType('block_BLOCKNAME_text', PARAM_RAW);


        $mform->addElement('text', 'block_BLOCKNAME_num', get_string('block_BLOCKNAME_num', 'BLOCKNAME'));

        $mform->setDefault('block_online_users_timetosee', '5');

        // Add client side validation which forces the field as numeric
        $mform->addRule('block_BLOCKNAME_num', null, 'numeric', null, 'client');

        $mform->setType('block_BLOCKNAME_num', PARAM_INT);

    }

}

Creating a Instance Configuration form

In order to create a global confuration form using formslib, you must create a file /blocks/BLOCKNAME/config_instance_form.php

In this file a class needs to be created which follows the naming scheme: block_BLOCKNAME_config_instance_form and extends block_config_instance_form.

In your form configuration class you need to implement the instance_configuration() method. Elements added will automatically saved in $block->config

<?php
require_once $CFG->dirroot .'/blocks/block_config_instance_form.php';

class block_BLOCKNAME_config_instance_form extends block_config_instance_form {

    function instance_configuration(&$mform){

        // add a text field named title
        $mform->addElement('text','title',get_string('configtitle', 'BLOCKNAME'));

        // this will set the form field to 'my title'
        // (if a title string is already stored in the block instance
        // configuration, it will automatically be set it to that)
        $mform->setDefault('title', 'my title string');

        $mform->setType('title', PARAM_NOTAGS);
        
    }

}