This release supports PHP up to version 8.1. If you are getting “Deprecated” errors from PHP 8, use the new version to generate the code and re-upload the forms. Here is the summary of updates in this release:

1. PHP 8.1 compatibility
2. Works on Windows 11
3. Fixes issue where Paypal response page was not redirected to https:// page but to http:// page
4. Fixes issue where elements from deleted pages appear in single page forms.

You can download the latest version of Simfatic Forms from the link below:
https://simfatic.com/forms/updates.html

Pierre managed to add a PDF invoice feature to his forms using the extension modules feature. The code could be useful to other users who want similar features. Thanks, Pierre for sharing the code and for the write-up.

On to the post …

Introduction

My name is Pierre Linssen, born and raised in the Netherlands and for 10 years living and working in Germany.

In my daily life, I am working as a self-employed interim manager, program manager and coach in various areas like energy, security, finance and IT.

As a hobby, since the year 2003, I am also the webmaster of www.tukhut.nl, a mountain house of the NKBV (the Dutch mountain climbing association).

In the summer of 2010, for www.tukhut.nl, I wanted to get a dedicated subscription form online.

At that time I had to decide: either do it all by myself or scan the market to see if there were suitable software solutions available to create the desired form.
And I definitely found one! That was when I first got in touch with Simfatic Forms. At that time, Prasanth assisted and supported me in getting some sophisticated input validations implemented.

Ever since then, so already almost 10 years ago, the Tukhut subscription form, with some additional improvements, flawlessly has been doing its job.

Excellent support!

During the last 10 years, every now and then, I had some specific questions related to the deployment of various with Simfatic Forms created and implemented forms.

And I really must say: Prasanth has always responded to my questions very fast. And together we have always found appropriate solutions for some smaller and for some bigger challenges.
Thank you very much, Prasanth, for all your swift support during the past 10 years !!!

A recent Simfatic Forms project

Recently one of my clients in the Netherlands, who is organizing and giving several workshops and training, wanted to have an application implemented with the following key demands:

registration/subscription for various workshops/trainings, with:

• automatic generation of a response e-mail to each subscriber
• automatic generation of an e-mail with attached PDF-invoice to each subscriber
• automatic generation of a received subscription e-mail to the workshop organizer
• automatic generation of an e-mail with attached PDF-invoice copy to the workshop organizer;
• automatic database registration of each subscription, to facilitate future communication with workshop subscribers.

Time to pay it forward …

So I guess now it is time to share a demo-project with you, based on the above-mentioned project.

Obviously, the demo- form itself has been generated with Simfatic Forms.

You can download all my project files here
pdf-invoice-sample.zip

The pdf-invoice-sample.zip contains the following files:

1. The Simfatic Forms project file. (subscribe_workshops.fwz)
2. a specific extension module that has been integrated with Simfatic Forms. (post-to-another-form-extension-module.php)
3. a dedicated PHP file for PDF invoice generation, importing variables from the form, handling of those variables,
   creating the format for the PDF-invoice, creating the PDF-invoice itself and sending out the PDF-invoice via e-mail. (workshop_invoice.php)

In addition to the files above, you need additional supporting files for the PDF generation. Details below:

1. FPDF, a PHP-class that arranges the generation of a PDF-document. The needed FPDF files can be found here …
2. FPDF easyTable, another PHP-class, facilitating the creation of tables in PDF-documents. The needed easyTable files can be found here …

Steps

1. You have to edit the workshop_invoice.php file in a text editor and replace you@website.com with your email address.
2. Upload the file workshop_invoice.php to your website making it available at an address like http://your-website.com/workshop_invoice.php. You will have to upload the additional supporting FPDF files also in the same folder.
3. Edit the extension module post-to-another-form-extension-module.php in a text editor. Update the URL of the script to the correct URL from the last step (http://your-website.com/workshop_invoice.php)
4. Open the Simfatic Forms project file (subscribe_workshops.fwz) in Simfatic Forms. Enable extension Module (Form processing options page). Press Next and add the updated extension module (post-to-another-form-extension-module.php) in the extension modules page
5. Proceed to upload the form

I hope you find this script useful.

Any questions?
Just email me (Pierre Linssen) info {(at)} aeternus.org.

Here are the updates in this release:

1. Fixes security bug in “Save and Continue” feature. Read the details here
2. Fixes issue in the Look& Feel Page where the font size was not saving/updating.
3. Updated the Drag & Drop support for the File upload box

You can download Simfatic Forms 5 from the link below:

Simfatic Forms 5 Download

This release improves the responsive code generation feature further.

You can download the update from the download page:

Download Simfatic Forms

Updates in this release

• 1. fixes multi-page forms with different sizes display issue
• 2. Paypal calculated quantity/variable quantity not getting updated – fixed
• 3. Added an option in Decimal (numeric) field to turn off the up/down spinner
• 4. Other small fixes and enhancements

The decimal field will have an option to turn off the spinner/arrows that appear by default for numeric input fields. The spinner is displayed by default by browsers for HTML5 <input type=’number’ > field.

However, many Simfatic Forms users found the ‘spinners’ not quite useful. So there will an option in the decimal field properties to create a decimal field without those ‘spinners’.

There is no consistent way in HTML5/CSS3 to turn the spinners off. In order to create ‘plain’ numeric fields without those spinners, Simfatic Forms creates an <input type=’text’ pattern='[0-9]*’> field.

Download Simfatic Forms

This update improves the responsive features of Simfatic Forms.

As you know, Simfatic Forms gives you the flexibility to place the form elements in any way you want, rather than restricting in a vertical-only layout. This limits Simfatic Forms in making the form ‘responsive’ (change layout based on screen size).

Simfatic Forms 5 comes with two options: You can layout the form the way you want & still
keep it working with mobile devices
OR
Enable an auto-responsive option that fits the form elements automatically to a vertical layout.

Here is a quick demo of the feature
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4YGSJVs6Qk

Simfatic Forms 5 adds a setting in the Tools->Options dialog box.
Enable ‘generate responsive code’ option. If this option is enabled, Simfatic Forms will force’ vertical layout in small screens. Larger screens will show the form in your original layout.

Next, make sure the label for each element is assigned correctly. Simfatic forms tries to assign the label to the element automatically. However, it is always better to make sure the label is assigned to the right element. Select the properties of the label and then check that the correct input element is assigned.

You can download the latest Simfatic Forms update here

Download Simfatic Forms 5

Here is a brief overview of the updates in Simfatic Forms 5

• Better HTML5/CSS3 Support
• PHP 7 Support
• Improved Emailing & SMTP
• More date – calculation functions
  • month()
  • year()
  • dayofmonth()
  • dayofweek()
• Support for strings in calculations
  • concat()
  • str(“”)
• New HTML5 input types
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Slider (range )

Also see:
Simfatic Forms Overview Demo

Order Simfatic Forms 5

Existing users can Upgrade:
Upgrade to Simfatic Forms 5.0

Simfatic Forms 5 Beta 2 is available for download.

Download Simfatic Forms 5 Beta 2

This update fixes all the issues reported so far.

Keep sending your feedback in the form below:

Submit Suggestions

http://simfatic.com/forms/download-beta

Here is the list of updates in this release:

• PHP 7 support
• Better Mobile/small device Suport
• HTML5 & CSS3
• New HTML5 input types
• Email
• Phone
• Slider (range )
• Updated Calculation field – now supports string literal calculations!
• Calculation field now supports more formulas
• Better Email & SMTP support

Try it out and let me know your feedback

The Simfatic Forms date picker uses jQuery UI Date picker. So all the options available for the jQuery UI is available in Simfatic Forms date picker as well. Here is the list of options, methods and events in jQuery UI Date picker.
To disable saturdays and Sundays, we make use of the beforeShowDay call back option. So in the Draw the form page->Custom Code->Javascript tab, enter the following code:


$('#dd').datepicker("option","beforeShowDay",function(date) {
var day = date.getDay();
return [(day != 0 && day != 6), ''];
});

dd is the name of the date field.
for the day, Sunday is 0 , Monday is 1 and so forth

Preview the form and it would have disabled Saturdays and Sundays.

However, the user can type and enter a date (that is Sunday) in the text box. For that, you have to add a custom validation.

Here is the custom validation code that checks the day. Enter this custom validation code in the Input Validations-> Options->Custom Validation box


var datelement = $('#dd').get(0);
var date = datelement.getcal();
if(date.getDay()==6 || date.getDay()==0)
{
return({ elementobj:datelement, message:"Shouldn't be Saturday or Sunday!" });
}
return true;


The Simfatic Forms date picker input has a function getcal() that gets the associated Javascript Date object. We then check the day and return error if it is Saturday or Sunday

Download the sample fwz file here