diff --git a/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/.gitignore b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/.gitignore new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..6724ce3596 --- /dev/null +++ b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/.gitignore @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +src/**/*.js \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/package.json b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/package.json new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..5bffa1904d --- /dev/null +++ b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/package.json @@ -0,0 +1,22 @@ +{ + "name": "angular2-getting-started", + "version": "1.0.0", + "description": "", + "main": "index.js", + "scripts": { + "tsc": "tsc -p src -w", + "start": "live-server --open=src" + }, + "keywords": [], + "author": "", + "license": "ISC", + "dependencies": { + "angular2": "2.0.0-alpha.44", + "bootstrap": "^3.3.5", + "systemjs": "0.19.2" + }, + "devDependencies": { + "live-server": "^0.8.1", + "typescript": "^1.6.2" + } +} diff --git a/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/app.ts b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/app.ts new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..a9c8970d3c --- /dev/null +++ b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/app.ts @@ -0,0 +1,12 @@ +// #docregion +import {bootstrap, Component} from 'angular2/angular2' +import {HeroFormComponent} from './hero-form.component' + +@Component({ + selector: 'my-app', + template: '', + directives: [HeroFormComponent] +}) +class AppComponent { } + +bootstrap(AppComponent); \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..ed07b487f5 --- /dev/null +++ b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html @@ -0,0 +1,196 @@ + + +
+ +
+

Hero Form

+ +
+ + +
+ + + +
+ Name is required +
+ +
+ +
+ + +
+ +
+ + +
+ Power is required +
+
+ + + + +
+
+ + +
+

You submitted the following:

+
+
Name
+
{{ model.name }}
+
+
+
Alter Ego
+
{{ model.alterEgo }}
+
+
+
Power
+
{{ model.power }}
+
+
+ +
+ +
+ + + +
+
+ + + + +
+
+ + + +
+ +
+ +
+

Hero Form

+
+
+ + +
+ +
+ + +
+ + + +
+ + +
+ + + + +
+
+ + + + +
+ +
+

Hero Form

+
+ + {{diagnostic}} +
+ + +
+ +
+ + +
+ +
+ + +
+ + + + +
+
+ + + +
+ + + TODO: remove this: {{model.name}} + +
+ + + TODO: remove this: {{model.name}} + +
+
+ + + +
+ + + TODO: remove this: {{spy.className}} + +
+ +
+
+ Name via form.controls = {{showFormControls(hf)}} +
+ +
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.ts b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.ts new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..672c9fc0f2 --- /dev/null +++ b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.ts @@ -0,0 +1,48 @@ +// #docplaster +// #docregion +// #docregion first, final +import {Component, CORE_DIRECTIVES, FORM_DIRECTIVES} from 'angular2/angular2'; + +import { Hero } from './hero'; + +@Component({ + selector: 'hero-form', + templateUrl: 'app/hero-form.component.html', + // #docregion directives + directives: [CORE_DIRECTIVES, FORM_DIRECTIVES] + // #enddocregion +}) +export class HeroFormComponent { + + powers = ['Really Smart', 'Super Flexible', + 'Super Hot', 'Weather Changer']; + + model = new Hero(18, 'Dr IQ', this.powers[0], 'Chuck Overstreet'); + + // #docregion submitted + submitted = false; + + onSubmit() { this.submitted = true; } + // #enddocregion submitted + + // #enddocregion final + // TODO: Remove this when we're done + get diagnostic() { return JSON.stringify(this.model); } + // #enddocregion first + + + //////// DO NOT SHOW IN DOCS //////// + + // Reveal in html: + // AlterEgo via form.controls = {{showFormControls(hf)}} + showFormControls(form){ + return form.controls.alterEgo && + // #docregion form-controls + form.controls.name.value; // Dr. IQ + // #enddocregion form-controls + } + ///////////////////////////// + + // #docregion first, final +} +// #enddocregion first, final \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/hero.ts b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/hero.ts new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..6ce9e8af1a --- /dev/null +++ b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/app/hero.ts @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +// #docregion +export class Hero { + + constructor( + public id: number, + public name: string, + public power: string, + public alterEgo?: string + ) { } + +} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/index.html b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/index.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..2aa0229ab4 --- /dev/null +++ b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,30 @@ + + + + + + Hero Form + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Loading... + + + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/styles.css b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/styles.css new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..d7e11405b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/styles.css @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +/* #docregion */ +.ng-valid[required] { + border-left: 5px solid #42A948; /* green */ +} + +.ng-invalid { + border-left: 5px solid #a94442; /* red */ +} +/* #enddocregion */ \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/tsconfig.json b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/tsconfig.json new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..6a58b35a58 --- /dev/null +++ b/public/docs/_examples/forms/ts/src/tsconfig.json @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +{ + "compilerOptions": { + "target": "ES5", + "module": "commonjs", + "sourceMap": true, + "emitDecoratorMetadata": true, + "experimentalDecorators": true, + "removeComments": false, + "noImplicitAny": false + } +} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/_data.json b/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/_data.json index cb2d533147..09f639bbef 100644 --- a/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/_data.json +++ b/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/_data.json @@ -18,7 +18,12 @@ "title": "User Input", "intro": "User input triggers DOM events. We listen to those events with EventBindings that funnel updated values back into our components and models." }, - + + "forms": { + "title": "Forms", + "intro": "A form creates a cohesive, effective, and compelling data entry experience. An Angular form coordinates a set of data-bound user controls, tracks changes, validates input, and presents errors." + }, + "pipes": { "title": "Pipes", "intro": "Pipes transform displayed values within a template" @@ -28,11 +33,6 @@ "title": "Template Syntax", "intro": "How to write templates that display data and consume user events with the help of data binding." }, - - "forms": { - "title": "Angular 2 Forms", - "intro": "Learn about the different approaches we can take when building forms and see examples of them in action." - }, "dependency-injection": { "title": "Dependency Injection", diff --git a/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/forms.jade b/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/forms.jade index 22286dd88c..6aabb05601 100644 --- a/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/forms.jade +++ b/public/docs/ts/latest/guide/forms.jade @@ -1,464 +1,579 @@ include ../../../../_includes/_util-fns + +:markdown + We’ve all used a form to login, submit a help request, place an order, book a flight, + schedule a meeting and perform countless other data entry tasks. + Forms are the mainstay of business applications. + + Any seasoned web developer can slap together an HTML form with all the right tags. + It's more challenging to create a cohesive data entry experience that guides the + user efficiently and effectively through the workflow behind the form. + + *That* takes design skills that are, to be frank, well out of scope for this chapter. + + It also takes framework support for + **two-way data binding, change tracking, validation, and error handling** + ... which we shall cover in this chapter on Angular forms. + + We will build a simple form from scratch, one step at a time. Along the way we'll learn + + - how to build an Angular form with a component and template + + - the `ng-model` two-way data binding syntax for reading and writing values to input controls + + - the `ng-control` directive to track the change state and validity of form controls + + - the special CSS classes that `ng-control` adds to form controls and how we can use them to provide strong visual feedback + + - how to display validation errors to users and enable/disable form controls + + - how to share information across controls with template local variables + .l-main-section +:markdown + ## Template-Driven Forms + + Many of us will build forms by writing templates in the Angular [template syntax](./template-syntax.html) with + the form-specific Directives and techniques described in this chapter. +.l-sub-section :markdown - Forms play an important role in Web applications whether it’s collecting data or allowing data to be modified or deleted. We’ve all used a form to login to an application, submit a help request to a website, manipulate business data and more. While creating custom forms in HTML is a relatively straightforward process, the complexity increases when a form requires data binding, event handling, validation rules and error messages. - - Angular 2 provides several key features that can be used to build any type of form your application may need whether it’s a large enterprise line of business form or a small form used to log a user into an application. Throughout this chapter we’ll learn about the different approaches we can take when building forms and see examples of them in action. - - The overall learning goals of this chapter include: - - - Learn how to build an Angular 2 form component and template. - - Learn data binding syntax that can be used to minimize the amount of code you write when building forms. - - Learn about key Angular 2 directives that can be used in forms. - - Learn how to display errors to users and enable/disable form controls. - - Learn what template local variables are and how they can be used. - - Learn about CSS classes that Angular 2 adds to form controls and understand how they can be used to provide visual feedback to users. - - Let’s get started by taking a look at the process we can follow to create template-driven forms in Angular 2. - - ## Introduction to Template-Driven Forms - - We can use template-driven forms to create login forms, contact forms and custom line of business forms in our Angular 2 applications. We can create any type of form layout, bind data to form controls, display validation errors, disable specific form controls when a form is invalid, provide visual feedback to users, plus more. In scenarios where we need to capture data from end users or allow them to modify existing data, template-driven forms provide a robust option that can be created quickly and easily using Angular 2 features. - - Here’s an example of a simple template-driven form in action. We’ll discuss the form throughout this chapter and learn how to build it. - - figure.image-display - img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/tdf-1.png" alt="Clean Form") - - :markdown - Here’s the same form displaying a validation error and providing additional visual feedback to the end user: + That's not the only way to create a form but it's the way we'll cover in this chapter. +:markdown + We can build almost any form we need with an Angular template ... login forms, contact forms ... pretty much any business forms. + We can lay out the controls creatively, bind them to data, specify validation rules and display validation errors, + conditionally enable or disable specific controls, trigger built-in visual feedback, and much more. + + It will be pretty easy because Angular handles many of the repeative, boiler plate tasks we'd + otherwise wrestle with ourselves. + + We'll discuss and learn to build the following template-driven form: + +figure.image-display + img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-1.png" alt="Clean Form") + +:markdown + Here at the *Hero Employment Agency* we use this form to maintain personal information about the + heroes in our stable. Every hero needs a job. It's our company mission to match the right hero with the right crisis! - figure.image-display - img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/tdf-2.png" alt="Invalid, Name Required") - - :markdown - If the user doesn’t satisfy all of the validation requirements for the form, the submit button will automatically be disabled and the left portion of the input control that has an error will change from green to red. The colors used, location of the colors and more can be customized using standard CSS. Required controls have a red left-border to make them easy to visually identify for end users: + Two of the three fields on this form are required. Required fields have a green bar on the left to make them easy to spot. + + If we delete the hero name, the form displays a validation error in an attention grabbing style: - figure.image-display - img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/tdf-3.png" alt="Invalid Form") - - :markdown - What features does Angular 2 provide that we can use to create this type of template-driven form? We’ll answer this question and others by walking through the following steps: +figure.image-display + img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-2.png" alt="Invalid, Name Required") - 1. Create an HTML form template - 1. Create a model class - 1. Create a form component - 1. Add the **ng-submit** directive to the form - 1. Add the **ng-control** directive to each form input control - 1. Add the **ng-model** directive to each form input control - 1. Disable the form’s submit button until the form is valid - 1. Add custom CSS to provide visual feedback - 1. Show and hide validation error messages - - The following sections provide a more detailed look at these steps and the code that we’ll need to write to make it all happen. Let’s start by looking at the initial form template. - - ### Create an HTML Form Template - - We can use a standard HTML form with the Angular template-driven approach. An example of a form template named **template-form.component.html** is shown next. The HTML content includes the form element and associated inputs as well as a section after the form that’s used to display data submitted by the end user. +:markdown + Note that the submit button is disabled and the "required" bar to the left of the input control changed from green to red. + +.l-sub-section + p We'll' customize the colors and location of the "required" bar with standard CSS. - code-example(format="linenums" language="html"). - <div class="container"> - <div [hidden]="submitted"> - <h1>Template Driven Form</h1> - <form> - <div class="form-group"> - <label for="name">Name</label> - <input type="text" class="form-control" required> - </div> - <div class="form-group"> - <label for="alterEgo">Alter Ego</label> - <input type="text" class="form-control" required> - </div> - <div class="form-group"> - <label for="power">Hero Power</label> - <select class="form-control" required> - <option *ng-for="#p of powers" [value]="p">{{p}}</option> - </select> - </div> - <button type="submit" class="btn btn-default">Submit</button> - </form> - </div> - <div [hidden]="!submitted"> - <h2>You submitted the following:</h2> - <div class="row"> - <div class="col-md-2">Name</div> - <div class="col-md-10 pull-left">{{ model.name }}</div> - </div> - <div class="row"> - <div class="col-md-2">Alter Ego</div> - <div class="col-md-10 pull-left"> - {{ model.alterEgo }} - </div> - </div> - <div class="row"> - <div class="col-md-2">Power</div> - <div class="col-md-10 pull-left"> - {{ model.power }} - </div> - </div> - <br /> - <button class="btn btn-default" (click)="submitted=false">Edit</button> - </div> - </div> - - :markdown - The form captures Name, Alter Ego and Power values and makes all three of the inputs required by using the **required** attribute. The select control in the form iterates through an array of powers and displays them as select options using the Angular 2 **ng-for** directive. - - The application switches between the form view and the data display view by toggling a **submitted** property that we’ll discuss later in this chapter. The **submitted** property is bound to the **hidden** property of the div containers that wrap the form section and data display section. +:markdown + We will build this form in the following sequence of small steps - Now that the template for the form is in place, we can move on to discussing the model object that is bound to the form. - - ## Create a Model Class - - As users interacts with the form we’ll capture the data they enter or modify in instances of a “model” class. A model class is simply a class that holds application data. In this example **Hero** is the model class and it has **id**, **name**, **power**, and **alterEgo** properties. - - Here’s the complete code for the Hero model (hero.ts): - - ``` - export class Hero { + 1. Create the `Hero` model class + 1. Create the component that controls the form + 1. Create a template with the initial form layout + 1. Add the **ng-model** directive to each form input control + 1. Add the **ng-control** directive to each form input control + 1. Add custom CSS to provide visual feedback + 1. Show and hide validation error messages + 1. Handle form submission with **ng-submit** + 1. Disable the form’s submit button until the form is valid + +.l-main-section +:markdown + ## Create the Hero Model Class + + As users enter form data, we capture their changes and update an instance of a model. + We can't layout the form until we know what the model looks like. + + A model can be as simple as a "property bag" that holds facts about a thing of application importance. + That describes well our `Hero` class with its three required fields (`id`, `name`, `power`) + and one optional field (`alterEgo`). + + Create a new file called `hero.ts` and give it the following class definition: - constructor( - public id?: number, - public name?: string, - public power?: string, - public alterEgo?: string - ) { } - - } - ``` - The TypeScript compiler generates a public field for each **public** constructor parameter and assigns the parameter’s value to that field automatically. For example, TypeScript generates an **alterEgo** field to match the **public alterEgo** constructor parameter and sets the alterEgo field to the optional value of the fourth argument. This is a convenient way to initialize an object through the constructor with minimal code. - - Let’s create a form component that uses this **Hero** model class. - - ## Create a Form component ++makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero.ts') - The HTML form template shown earlier is placed directly in an Angular component using the **View** annotation’s **template** property. Alternatively, we can create a separate file and link it to the component using the **View** annotation’s **templateUrl** property. Which approach is better? There’s no “right” answer since it’s very subjective, but in cases where a template contains a lot of HTML content, having a separate template file can be helpful and minimize the overall size of the component. - - In this example we’ll link the template to a component named **TemplateFormComponent (template-form.component.ts)** using the **templateUrl** property of **View** annotation. The complete code for **TemplateFormComponent** is shown next: - ``` - import {Component, View, NgFor, FORM_DIRECTIVES} from 'angular2/angular2'; - - import { Hero } from './hero'; - - @Component({ - selector: 'template-driven-form', - templateUrl: 'app/template-form.component.html', - directives: [FORM_DIRECTIVES, NgFor] - }) - export class TemplateFormComponent { - - - model: Hero; - powers: string[]; - submitted: boolean = false; - - constructor() { - this.model = new Hero(18,'Dr IQ', 'Really Smart', 'Chuck Overstreet'); - - this.powers = ['Really Smart', 'Super Flexible', - 'Super Hot', 'Weather Changer']; - } - - onSubmit() { - this.submitted = true; - } - - } - ``` - We can see that there’s nothing unique about this component even though we’re using it to create a form. Many of the Angular 2 concepts we’ve already learned apply. Here are few of the key features shown in the component: - - 1. We import **NgFor, Component, View** and **FORM_DIRECTIVES** as well as the the **Hero** model class. Ng - 1. We add the **Component** selector value of “template-driven-form”. We also define the form template **(template-form.component.html)** using the **templateUrl** property and all of the directives we’ll use in the form template using the **directives** property. - 1. The **TemplateFormComponent** class **model, powers** and **submitted** properties defined. - 1. The constructor initializes the model and powers properties with values. - - We’ve now linked the form template to the form component and integrated the **Hero** model class into the component. The next step is to integrate Angular 2 directives into the form. - - ## Add the ng-submit Directive to the Form - - We’ll now shift our attention back to the form template **(template-form.component.html)** created earlier. Although the form is linked to the component, it won’t do much at this point aside from showing the different form controls. Angular 2 directives have to be added into the form so that we can bind the Hero model and perform other tasks such as validation. - - To start, we can add the **ng-submit** event to the **form** element and hook it to the **onSubmit()** function shown earlier in the **TemplateFormComponent class**: - ``` -
- ``` - it’s important to note that **form** is a directive in this case that exposes an **ng-submit** event. We’re using the event binding syntax in this example to wire **ng-submit** to **onSubmit()**. The **#f** attribute (which is referred to as a “template local variable”) makes the form object available as a local variable named “f” within the template. We’ll be using the local variable later to handle disabling the submit button when the form isn’t valid. - - Now that we’ve added the ability to submit the form, let’s discuss different form directives that can be added to the form’s input controls. - - - ## Add the ng-control Directive - - Angular 2 provides several key directives named **ng-model** and **ng-control** that can be used in forms to handle data binding and validation/change tracking tasks respectively. Both directives can be used together to simplify the overall process of creating custom forms and capturing and storing input from end users. - - The **ng-control** directive provides support for tracking the state of controls (**dirty, errors, pristine, touched** and **untouched**) and determining if they’re valid or not. - - is modified by an end user, **ng-control** updates its state properties as the user enters data a control so that we can know when a control is dirty, pristine, touched or has errors. - - The **ng-control** directive also provides support for checking the validity of a form control through its **valid** property. For example, the **valid** property of a form input control that has with an HTML5 **required** attribute added to it will have its is false until the user doesn’t supplies a value. This can be useful when checking the validity of an individual form control or the form as a whole. - - Here’s an example of the **ng-control** directive applied to a textbox: - ``` - - ``` - In this example we’re assigning the **ng-control** directive to a string value of “alterEgo”. By adding the directive to a form input control we automatically get access to the properties discussed earlier (dirty, pristine, etc.) and also get programmatic access to the form control which can be useful for custom validation scenarios. Later in this chapter we’ll see how the value assigned to **ng-control** can be used to show users error messages when they don’t satisfy the requirements of a given form control. - - ## Add the ng-model Directive - - The **ng-control** directive can be combined with another directive called **ng-model** on form controls. The **ng-model** directive can be used to bind data to form controls and also listen for changes to the data through an **ng-model** event. This is useful anytime we need to bind a model object property to textbox, select, radio button or other form input control. - - Here’s an example of using the **ng-control** and **ng-model** directives as well as handling the **ng-model** event on a textbox: - ``` - - ``` - In this example we’re using the standard Angular 2 [property-name] binding syntax to bind the **ng-model** directive to the model object’s **alterEgo** property. We’re also listening for an event named **ng-model** using the standard (event-name) event binding syntax. When the **ng-model** event fires, the value of the input control is passed using the **$event** object and assigned to the **model.alterEgo** property. This pattern of listening for property changes through an event provides an efficient way to *emulate* the two-way data binding mechanism that Angular 1.x provided while allowing Angular 2 to provide several performance benefits. - - In scenarios where the **ng-model** event handler must perform additional work aside from simply updating the property, we can define it separately using the standard (event-name) syntax and then bind it to a component event handler function: - ``` - - ``` - When we use **[ng-model]** and **(ng-model)** it may seem strange that the directive and event are named the same. Why wouldn’t they have different names to make it easier to distinguish them from one another in the HTML template? - - The answer is that Angular 2 provides an alternative syntax that merges the **ng-model** directive and event concepts together into one attribute on the input element which reduces the amount of code that has to be written. This merging of the property binding and event binding syntax can be accomplished using the **[(ng-model)]** short-cut syntax. - - The [property-name] portion of the syntax handles the property binding while the (event-name) portion handles the event binding. The directive automatically updates the target property as the **ng-model** event fires allowing us to eliminate the **(ng-model)=”model.alterEgo=$event”** syntax shown earlier. - - Here’s an example of using the more concise **[(ng-model)]** syntax to simplify the **ng-model** code shown earlier: - ``` - - ``` - The **[(ng-model)]** code accomplishes the same task as the previous code that defined the directive and event separately. By using the shortcut binding syntax we’re able to handle property and event bindings in a single step. - - It’s important to note that this shortcut syntax is optional and not something that we’re required to use. Just as the **[property-name]** shortcut syntax can be replaced with **bind-property-name** and **(event-name)** can be replaced with **on-event**-name (referred to as the “canonical syntax”) in Angular 2 templates, we can also use a canonical syntax in place of the **[(ng-model)]** syntax if desired. The canonical style uses the **bindon-property-name** syntax in place of the **[(ng-model)]** shortcut syntax: - ``` - - ``` - Angular 2 allows us to choose the syntax that we prefer (shortcut or canonical) with all template bindings which makes it flexible to work with and also allows teams to decide on their own unique coding style. - - ## Disabling the Submit Button - - The final step in the template-driven form that we’ve been building throughout this chapter involves disabling the submit button when the form is invalid. After all, why would we want the user to be able to click the button when we know the form isn’t ready to process yet? - - Earlier we defined the form using the following syntax: - ``` - - ``` - The **#f** attribute creates a template local variable that can be used to access the form object elsewhere in the template. By checking the form’s **valid** property we can easily determine if the form is valid or not. By using **f.form.valid** we can disable the submit button by binding to the **disabled** property: - ``` - - ``` - ## Add Custom CSS to Provide Visual Feedback - - Earlier in the chapter we saw that form controls can be modified to show the user when a given control is valid or invalid as they interact with the form. For example, when a form first loads we can mark required controls with a red border if no data is present to provide the user with a visual indicator: - - figure.image-display - img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/tdf-3.png" alt="Invalid Form") - - :markdown - As the user interacts with the form and satisfies a control’s requirements we can change from a red border to a green border to let them “visually” know how they’re doing: +:markdown + It's an anemic model with few requirements and no behavior. Perfect for our demo. + + The TypeScript compiler generates a public field for each `public` constructor parameter and + assigns the parameter’s value to that field automatically when we create new heroes like this: + ``` + let myHero = new Hero(42, 'SkyDog', 'Fetch any object at any distance', 'Leslie Rollover'); + console.log('My hero is called ' + myHero.name); // "My hero is called SkyDog" + ``` + The `alterEgo` is optional and the constructor lets us omit it; note the (?) in `alterEgo?`. - figure.image-display - img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/tdf-4.png" alt="Complete Valid Form") - - :markdown - Before discussing how to accomplish this task, let’s discuss features that form controls expose when they have **ng-control** or **ng-model** directives applied to them. When a control has either of these directives the control provides access to properties such as **pristine, dirty, touched, untouched** and **valid**. As these properties change, CSS classes are added to the control automatically by the aforementioned directives. We can use the CSS classes that are added to dynamically show visual feedback to the end user. - - Let’s walk through the CSS classes that change as the user interacts with the **name** control in the form. When the form first loads the **Hero** model data is bound into the control. The following CSS classes appear on the input control due to the control having an initial value: - - CSS class initial value - - :markdown - The key CSS classes added to the control in this example include **ng-pristine, ng-valid** and **ng-untouched**. The presence of the **ng-pristine** class let’s us know that the user hasn’t interacted with the control yet, the **ng-valid** class appears because the control is valid and **ng-untouched** appears because the user hasn’t interacted with the control yet. - - If the user clear’s out the value of the **name** control the CSS classes change to the following: - - CSS class initial value - - In this case the **ng-touched, ng-dirty** and **ng-invalid** classes have been added. The presence of the **ng-touched** class let’s us know that the user has interacted with the control, **ng-dirty** let’s us know that the control’s value has changed and **ng-invalid** let’s us know that the control isn’t currently valid. - - Now that we know the classes that are added to the control we can modify our site’s CSS stylesheet and handle valid and invalid control states to provide visual feedback in the form for the end user. For example, when the control is valid we can add the following CSS class to change the control’s left-border to green: - ``` - .ng-valid { - border-left: 5px solid #42A948; - } - ``` - When the control is invalid we can add the following CSS class to change the left-border to red: - ``` - .ng-invalid { - border-left: 5px solid #a94442; - } - ``` - By using the CSS classes automatically added by **ng-control** and **ng-model** we can easily customize a form and display different visual feedback as input controls are modified by the end user. - - ## Show and Hide Validation Error Messages - - All of the controls in the form have the HTML5 **required** attribute applied to them. While we’ve taken care of disabling the submit button when the form isn’t valid, we need a way to display an error message to the end user for each invalid control. - - To do this we first need to create a local variable on the control and assign it to a value of form. Here’s an example of creating two local variables that are named **#name** and **#alterego**: - ``` - - - - ``` - Once each input has a local variable assigned we can access the variable elsewhere in the template to determine if the control is valid or not. If a control is invalid an error message can be shown to the end user. How does this work exactly? - - Since each input has a local variable defined we can use it to access a **control** property. This property allows us to get to information about the control including whether or not it’s valid. Here’s an example of using the **#name** local variable to access the **valid** property: - - code-example(language="html"). - Valid: {{ name.valid }} - - :markdown - In this example we’re accessing the desired form control through the **#name** local variable. It exposes properties such as **valid, pristine, dirty** and **touched**. Here’s an example of binding the **hidden** property of multiple div elements that contain an error message to the **valid** property of a form control: - - ``` - - -
- Name is required -
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- Alter Ego is required -
- ``` +.l-main-section +:markdown + ## Create a Form component + + An Angular form has two parts: an HTML-based template and a code-based Component to handle data and user interactions. + + We begin with the Component because it states, in brief, what the Hero editor can do. + + Create a new file called `hero-form.component.ts` and give it the following definition: - If an end user clears out the **name** and **alterego** control values the appropriate error messages will be shown: - - figure.image-display - img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/tdf-5.png" alt="Invalid Data Form") - ++makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.ts', 'first') + +:markdown + There’s nothing special about this component, nothing to distinguish it from any component we've written before, + nothing form-specific about it ... except, perhaps, the tell-tale `FORM_DIRECTIVES` import. + + Understanding this component requires only the Angular 2 concepts we’ve learned in previous chapters + + 1. We import a standard set of symbols from the Angular library. + We don't have a template yet but we usually import `CORE_DIRECTIVES` and it doesn't surprise us to + import something called `FORM_DIRECTIVES`, given that we'll be writing a form + + 1. The `@Component` selector value of "hero-form" means we can drop this form in a parent template with a `` tag. + + 1. The `templateUrl` property points to a separate file for template HTML called `hero-form.component.html`. + + 1. We defined dummy data for `model` and `powers` as befits a demo. + Down the road, we can inject a data service to get and save real data + or perhaps expose these properties as [inputs and outputs](./template-syntax.html#inputs-outputs) for binding to a + parent component. None of this concerns us now and these future changes won't affect our form. + + 1. We threw in a `diagnostic` property at the end to return a JSON representation of our model. + It'll help us see what we're doing during our development; we've left ourselves a cleanup note to discard it later. + + We may wonder why we aren't writing the template inline in the component file as we have often done + elsewhere in the Developer Guide. + + There is no “right” answer for all occasions. We kind of like inline templates when they are short. + Most form templates won't be short. TypeScript and JavaScript files generally aren't the best place to + write (or read) large stretches of HTML and few editors are much help with files that have a mix of HTML and code. + We also like short files with a clear and obvious purpose like this one. + + We made a good choice to put the HTML template elsewhere. Let's write it. + +.l-main-section +:markdown + ## Create an initial HTML Form Template + + Create a new template file called `hero-form.component.html` and give it the following definition: + ++makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html', 'start') + +:markdown + That is plain old HTML 5. We're presenting two of the `Hero` fields, `name` and `alterEgo`, and + opening them up for user input in input boxes. + + The "Name" `` control has the HTML5 `required` attribute; + the "Alter Ego" `` control does not because `alterEgo` is optional. + + We've got a "Submit" button at the bottom with some classes on it. + + **We are not using Angular yet**. There are no bindings. No extra directives. Just layout. + + The `container`,`form-group`, `form-control`, and `btn` classes are CSS Bootstrap. Purely cosmetic. + We're using Bootstrap to gussy up our form. + Hey, what's a form without a little style! + +.l-sub-section :markdown - As values are supplied and the controls are valid again, the error messages will automatically be hidden. + Since we're using [CSS Boostrap](http://getbootstrap.com/css/). + now might be a good time to install it into our project. + We can do that with npm. + + Open a terminal window and enter the command: + code-example(language="html" escape="html"). + npm install bootstrap + :markdown +
Open the `index.html` and add the following line wherever we like to put our CSS + +makeExample('forms/ts/src/index.html', 'bootstrap') + +.callout.is-important + header Angular Forms Does Not Require A Style Library + :markdown + Angular makes no use of the `container`, `form-group`, `form-control`, and `btn` classes or + the styles of any external library. We are welcome to use the CSS library we choose + ... or none at all. + +.l-main-section +:markdown + ## Add Powers with ***ng-for** + Our hero may choose one super power from a fixed list of Agency-approved powers. + We maintain that list internally (in `HeroFormComponent`). + + We'll add a `select` to our + form and bind the options to the `powers` list using `NgFor`, + a technique we might have seen before in the ["Displaying Data"](./displaying-data.html) chapter. + + Add the following HTML *immediately below* the "Alter Ego" group. ++makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html', 'powers') + +:markdown + We are repeating the `` tag for each power in the list of Powers. + The `#p` local template variable is a different power in each iteration; + we display its name using the interpolation syntax with the double-curly-braces. + +.l-main-section +:markdown + ## Two-way data binding with ***ng-model** + We might be disappointed if we ran the app right now. + +figure.image-display + img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-3.png" alt="Early form with no binding") +:markdown + We quickly realize that we are not binding to the `Hero` yet. + We know how to do that from earlier chapters. + We learned show data on screen with a Property Binding in "[Displaying Data](./displaying-data.html)". + We learned to listen for DOM events with an + Event Binding and how to extract values from the screen + in "[User Input](./user-input.html)". + + Now we need to display, listen, and extract at the same time. + + We could use those techniques again in our form. + Instead we'll introduce something new, the `NgModel` directive, that + makes binding our form to the model super-easy. + + Find the `` tag for the "Name" and update it like this + ++makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html', 'ng-model-1') + +.l-sub-section + :markdown + We appended a diagnostic interpolation after the input tag + so we can see what we're doing. + We left ourselves a note to throw it way when we're done. + +:markdown + Focus on the binding syntax: `[(ng-model)]="..."`. + + If we ran the app right now and started typing in the "Name" input box, + adding and deleting characters, we'd see them appearing and disappearing + from the interpolated text. + At some point it might look like this. +figure.image-display + img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-model-in-action.png" alt="ng-model in action") +:markdown + The diagnostic is evidence that we really are flowing values from the input box to the model and + back again. **That's two-way data binding!** + + Let's add similar `[(ng-model)]` bindings to "Alter Ego" and "Hero Power". + We'll ditch the input box binding message + and add a new binding at the top to the component's `diagnostic` property. + Then we can confirm that we are in fact two-way data binding *to the entire Hero model*. + + After revision the core of our form should have three `[(ng-model)]` bindings that + look much like this: + ++makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html', 'ng-model-2') + +:markdown + If we ran the app right now and made a bunch of changes at some point it might look like this. +figure.image-display + img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-model-in-action-2.png" alt="ng-model in super action") +:markdown + We've changed every Hero model property and the diagnostic near the top of the form + confirms that our changes are reflected in the model. + + ** We're done with the diagnostic binding. Delete it now.** + +.alert.is-helpful + :markdown + Although `NgModel` is officially a "Forms" directive we can use `[(ng-model)]` and two-way binding outside of forms too. +:markdown + ## Inside [(ng-model)] + Do we *really want* to know? If we're just happy that it works, move on to the next topic in this chapter. + + Otherwise, stick around for this note. + +.l-sub-section + :markdown + The punctuation in the binding syntax, [()], is a good clue to what's going on. - ## Conclusion + We write a Property Binding to flow data from the model to a target property on screen. + We identify that target property by surrounding its name in brackets, []. + This is a one-way data binding **from the model to the view**. - The Angular 2 form discussed in this chapter takes advantage of the following framework features to provide support for data modification, validation and more: + We write an Event Binding to flow data from the target property on screen to the model. + We identify that target property by surrounding its name in parentheses, (). + This is a one-way data binding in the opposite direction **from the view to the model**. - - An HTML form template. - - A form component class with **Component** and **View** annotations. - - The **ng-submit** event for handling the form submission. - - Template local variables such as **#f, #name, #alterego** and **#power**. - - The **ng-control** and **ng-model** directives. - - The **[(ng-model)]** shortcut syntax to bind the directive to a model object property and handle property updates as data changes in the form. - - HTML5 validation attributes such as **required**. - - The local variable’s **control** property on input controls to check if a control is valid and show/hide error messages. - - Angular 2 property binding shortcut syntax to disable the submit button when the form is invalid. - - Custom CSS classes that provide visual feedback to end users about valid and invalid controls. + No wonder Angular chose to combine the punctuation as [()] + to signify a two-way data binding and a **flow of data in both directions**. - Here’s the final version of the form template that includes all of these framework features: + In fact, we can break the `NgModel` binding into its two separate modes + as we do in this re-write of the "Name" `` binding: + +makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html', 'ng-model-3') + + :markdown +
The Property Binding should feel familiar. The Event Binding might seem strange. - ``` -
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Template Driven Form

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Name
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{{ model.name }}
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{{ model.alterEgo }}
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{{ model.power }}
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- ``` + The name `ng-model-change` is not an event we recognize. + It is a real event property ... of the `NgModel` directive. + When Angular sees a binding target in the form [(abc)], + it expects the `abc` directive to have an `abc` input property and an `abc-change` output property. - Here’s our final template-driven form component code: + The other oddity is the template expression, `model.name = $event`. + We're used to seeing an `$event` object coming from a DOM event. + The `ng-model-change` property doesn't produce a DOM event; it's an Angular `EventEmitter` + property that returns the input box value when it fires ... which is precisely what + we should assign to the model's `name' property. - code-example(format="linenums"). - import { - NgFor, - Component, - View, - FORM_DIRECTIVES, - } from 'angular2/angular2'; + Nice to know but is it practical? We'd always prefer the `[(ng-model)]`. + We might split the binding if we had to do something special in + the event handling such as debounce or throttle the key strokes. - import { Hero } from './hero'; + Learn more about `NgModel` and other template syntax in the + [Template Syntax](./template-syntax.html) chapter. + +.l-main-section +:markdown + ## Track change-state and validity with **ng-control** + + A form isn't just about data binding. We'd also like to know the state of the controls on our form. + The `NgControl` directive keeps track of control state for us. + +.callout.is-helpful + header NgControl requires Form + :markdown + The `NgControl` is one of a family of `NgForm` directives that can only be applied to + a control within a ` tag. +:markdown + Our application can ask an `NgControl` instance if + * the user touched the control (`ng-touched` | `ng-untouched`) + * the value changed (`ng-pristine` | `ng-dirty`) + * is the value is valid (`ng-valid` | `ng-invalid`) + + `NgControl` doesn't just track state; it updates the control with special + Angular CSS classes from the set we listed above. + We can leverage those class names to change the appearance of the + control and make messages appear or disappear. + + We'll explore those effects soon. Right now + we should **add `ng-control`to all three of our form controls**, + starting with the "Name" input box ++makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html', 'ng-control-1') +:markdown + Be sure to assign a unique name to each `ng-control` directive. + +.l-sub-section + :markdown + Angular registers controls under their `ng-control` names + with the `NgForm`. + We didn't add the `NgForm` directive explicitly but it's here + and we'll talk it [later in this chapter](#ng-form). + +.l-main-section +:markdown + ## Add Custom CSS for Visual Feedback + + `NgControl` doesn't just track state. It updates the control with three classes, one + each from the following pairs of Angular form CSS classes. + * control visited: (`ng-touched` | `ng-untouched`) + * value changed: (`ng-pristine` | `ng-dirty`) + * validity: (`ng-valid` | `ng-invalid`) + + Let's add a temporary [local template variable](./template-syntax.html#local-vars) named **spy** + to the "Name" `` tag and use the spy to display those classes with an interpolation binding. + ++makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html', 'ng-control-2') + +:markdown + If we ran the app, focused our attention on the "Name" input box, and followed the next four steps *precisely* + + 1. Look but don't touched + 1. Click in the input box, then click outside the text input box + 1. Add slashes to the end of the name + 1. Erase the name + + ... we would see the following four sets of class names and their transitions: +figure.image-display + img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-control-class-changes.png" alt="Invalid Form") + +:markdown + The (`ng-valid` | `ng-invalid`) pair are most interesting to us. We want to send a + strong visual signal when the data are invalid and we want to mark required fields. + + We realize we can do both at the same time with a colored bar on the left of the input box: + +figure.image-display + img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/validity-required-indicator.png" alt="Invalid Form") + +:markdown + We achieve this effect by adding two CSS styles to our `styles.css` file + that select for the Angular validity classes and the HTML 5 "required" attribute: + ++makeExample('forms/ts/src/styles.css') +:markdown + ## Show and Hide Validation Error messages + + We can do better. + + The "Name" input box is required. Clearing it turns the bar red. That says *something* is wrong but we + don't know *what* is wrong or what to do about it. + We can leverage the `ng-invalid` class to reveal a helpful message. + + Here's the way it should look when the user deletes the name: +figure.image-display + img(src="/resources/images/devguide/forms/name-required-error.png" alt="Name required") + +:markdown + To achieve this effect we extend the `` tag with + 1. a [local template variable](./template-syntax.html#local-vars) + 1. the "*is required*" message in a nearby `
` which we'll display only if the control is invalid. + + Here's how we do it for the "name" input box: ++makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.html', 'name-with-error-msg') +:markdown + We initialized the template local variable with the word "form" (`#name="form"`) + + Angular recognizes that syntax and sets the `name` varable + to the `Control` object identified by the `ng-control` directive which, + not coincidentally, we called "name". + + We bind the `Control` object's `valid` property to the element's `hidden` property. + While the control is valid, the message is hidden; + if it becomes invalid, the message is revealed. + +.l-sub-section + :markdown + Recall from the previous section that `ng-control` registered this input box with the + `NgForm` directive as "name". - @Component({ - selector: 'template-driven-form', - templateUrl: 'app/template-form.component.html', - directives: [FORM_DIRECTIVES, NgFor] - }) - export class TemplateFormComponent { - model: Hero; - powers: string[]; - submitted: boolean = false; - - constructor() { - this.model = new Hero(18, 'Dr IQ', 'Really Smart', 'Chuck Overstreet'); + We didn't add the **[`NgForm`](../api/core/NgForm-class.html) directive** explicitly. + Angular added it surreptiously, wrapping it around the `
` element when we + told the `HeroFormComponent` to use the `FORM_DIRECTIVES` like this - this.powers = ['Really Smart', 'Super Flexible', - 'Super Hot', 'Weather Changer']; - } - - onSubmit() { - this.submitted = true; - } - } \ No newline at end of file + +makeExample('forms/ts/src/app/hero-form.component.ts', 'directives') +
+ :markdown + The `NgForm` directive supplements the the `form` element with additional features. + It collects `Controls` (elements identified by an `ng-control` directive) + and monitors their properties including their validity. + It has its own `valid` property which is true only if every contained + control is valid. + + In this example, we are pulling the "name" control out of its `controls` collection + and assigning it to the template local variable so that we can + access the control's properties ... such as the control's own `valid` property. +:markdown + The "AlterEgo" is optional so we can leave that be. + + "Power" selection is required. + We can add the same kind of error handling to the ``, it creates a + corresponding DOM node with a `value` property *initialized* to "Bob". + + When the user enters "Sally" into the input box, the DOM element `value` *property* becomes "Sally". + But the HTML `value` *attribute* remains unchanged as we discover if we ask the input element + about that attribute: `input.getAttribute('value') // returns "Bob"` + + The HTML attribute `value` specifies the *initial* value; the DOM `value` property is the *current* value. + + The `disabled` attribute is another peculiar example. A button's `disabled` *property* is + `false` by default so the button is enabled. + When we add the `disabled` *attribute*, it's presence alone initializes the button's `disabled` *property* to `true` + so the button is disabled. + + Adding and removing the `disabled` *attribute* disables and enables the button. The value of the *attribute* is irrelevant + which is why we cannot enable a button by writing ``. + + Setting the button's `disabled` *property* (e.g. with an Angular binding) disables or enables the button. + The value of the *property* matters. + + **The HTML attribute and the DOM property are not the same thing even when they have the same name.** + +:markdown This is so important, we’ll say it again. **Template binding works with *properties* and *events*, not *attributes*.** diff --git a/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-1.png b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-1.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..f91c197ad1 Binary files /dev/null and b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-1.png differ diff --git a/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-2.png b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-2.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..2b6e0446b0 Binary files /dev/null and b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-2.png differ diff --git a/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-3.png b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-3.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..7485744b39 Binary files /dev/null and b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-3.png differ diff --git a/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-4.png b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-4.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..52eede084a Binary files /dev/null and b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-4.png differ diff --git a/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-5.png b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-5.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..4e11ed0db5 Binary files /dev/null and b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/hf-5.png differ diff --git a/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/name-required-error.png b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/name-required-error.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..495e486caa Binary files /dev/null and b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/name-required-error.png differ diff --git a/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-control-class-changes.png b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-control-class-changes.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..b25913f13b Binary files /dev/null and b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-control-class-changes.png differ diff --git a/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-model-in-action-2.png b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-model-in-action-2.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..8e346cd8f1 Binary files /dev/null and b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-model-in-action-2.png differ diff --git a/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-model-in-action.png b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-model-in-action.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..d8e2036a36 Binary files /dev/null and b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/ng-model-in-action.png differ diff --git a/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/validity-required-indicator.png b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/validity-required-indicator.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..c4483e1f4c Binary files /dev/null and b/public/resources/images/devguide/forms/validity-required-indicator.png differ