Is it possible to build a contact page and be able to store the emails in a data base using just html?
to get more elaborate is php the way to go or should i just grab some of these stand alone contact sheets and not know what the markup is doing unless i study it? so many ways to go and it seems like a waste of time just trying to pick a path never mind actually doing it. help…frustrated as always
No, you need some kind of programming language (like PHP) to connect with the database.
However, there are lots of 3rd-party email services that give you simple HTML code to place on your website (an email signup form) which will automatically store the entered email address in their own database. In this way, you can (for example) let people subscribe to your mailing list through your site without you having to do anything, and then when you want to do a mailout, you just log into that 3rd party site, create your email, and it sends out to all the addresses in the database.
Such services include CampaignMonitor and MailChimp.
Of course, this may not be what you are looking for, but I though it was worth mentioning. If you just want a normal contact page (with a contact form) you don’t really need to store email addresses in a database anyway, do you? What is your aim here?
thanks ralph,
I realized after a little reading that php was needed. I made a form then realized there was no way to store the info. Went to a third party “Freedback” and got one form for free. My next move is to find a way to give away a free mp3 song download after anyone submits their name and email to my site. Too involved to write my own on this one? Third party again? appreciate you following me on my slow progression while building my site. thanks again.
When a form is submitted, the user normally lands on a thank you page (either a new page or the same page with different content on it). On that thank you page you could have a download link. Should be pretty simple, actually.
[I’ve moved this to the PHP forum.]
hey ralph,
“freedback” does have a place where I can place a website address. I’m not exactly sure what you’re saying. Do I make a seperate page on the website with some coding that allows the ‘subscriber’ to get just one song from me? Or is it something that freedback allows? I’m lost in the way files are manipulated between third part services because of limitations. I know there are places if you pay that make this a little easier. I need a breakdown of how the transfer occurs or how I could make a download link that allows just one song for the subscribers trouble. Am I using the right terminology here? thanks for getting back. I got my contact page working ok in the fact that I can send them the freebie the long way. I just give them an attachment when I get their email. I figured I could work this our later. It would be nice if it was automatic though. Sorry to bother you. I am still a rookie so have patience. thanks ralph.
I’m not sure how Freedback works, but when someone fills in the form and submits the message on your site, what appears on screen next?
hi ralph,
it goes to a screen that says powered by freedback. there is a loading bar and when full comes up with a form sent message and a button ‘continue’. After clicking on ‘continue’ another screen comes up with “thank you for your submission” the info is displayed that I asked for in my contact page and then goes back to my contact page. thanks again.
Hm, I wonder if you can reset it to land on a different page—one with a download link. In the Freedback setup, was there a point where you chose the original contact page as the final destination … or does Freedback choose that automatically?
hey ralph,
when you go to freedback they set up your contact page for you. question boxes, radio buttons, etc. about 6 different options. after you do this they write the code for you. ( old html ? sitepoint book says to take out certain parts of their code and replace it with sitepoints. ) it got a bit confusing and i just copied and pasted their code section to the right area on my contact page. it worked so I was happy. I will try and fix it when I get more detailed later. Just trying to get the website to function on each page at this point. I don’t think you can get in there because after all it is a freebie. Anything I add might not jive with what they are giving me. Got an idea of some code I could add? I would have to add it at the source ( freedback ) before I pasted it to my contact page. thanks for getting back again.
OK, checking the SitePoint book (Build you own website…) on page 285 is says:
After adding the form fields, there will be further options to complete. Choose the option to show Freedback’s Thank you page. Alternatively, you can send the user to your own customized Thank you page, which can be done at a later stage if you prefer.
That bit in bold is what I was talking about. You could create your own landing page with a link to the downloadable file and then tell Freedback to land your visitors on that page.
hi ralph,
so I make up a thank you page which the subscriber goes to ( heartbeatsoundsmusic.com/thankyou ) and which also has a ‘free mp3’ button there. Okay so far but how would I let them pick one of my 40 songs without coming back for more? Will they even get sent back to my website? I’m not sure how that part works. I’m not sure of how to start the coding for this. would I have to make a link for each song? Sorry usually I am copying from an example and not making original code. I will look around for examples. thanks.
My suggestion was based on this:
I assumed there was a single file you wanted to give away once someone had subscribed. If you want to give people a choice, that’s getting a little more elaborate and might require something more fancy. This would be a good time to provide specific details about how you need this to work.
I was thinking I would need a language that offers choices ( like a flow chart in computer programming ) like yes and no, true or false. I believe php or javascript does that. Which way should I go in your opinion? Anyway, that’s why I was holding off on this portion of finding or making the code for this page. Until the emails start pouring in I can do it the long way and send whatever song they want as an attachment with their email when I log it in my temporary data base. Trying to get more email traffic coming my way and I need to learn some marketing skills through the google videos etc.
Lots of sideroads to starting an internet business. The coding will probably become the easiest part aside from creating original songs from scratch, getting better musicians to play in my studio, my own playing, singing, producing, the whole marketing thing and since I really don’t want to start gigging again ( too old for that lol ). I’m dreaming I can be the Beatles reincarnate and do every thing from the studio. lmao. lol. Anyway I’ sure you catch my drift. Baby steps in this new world of coding are getting a little bigger thanks to you. Really appreciate your input. I like challenges and I will get this sucker off the ground.