Adding A Dynamic Email Field

Wiki Tools

Tropos forms have the ability to send the form output to a "static list" of email addresses or to allow the user to select an address or set of addresses to receive the output (dynamic email) at runtime.

Open the Form Editor

When you create a new Tropos form, you will need to manage the form actions by editing the form.  Click on the arrow to edit the form action (see figure 1)

	figure 1

Select Email Owner Form Action

The form editor has multiple functions.  To add a dynamic email field to your form, you will need to select Email Owner Form Action from the drop down list on the top of the page (see figure 2).  The configuration of the page will change to display the options available for the Email Owner Action.

	figure 2

Using the Static List

As you look at the options available for Email Owner Form Action, you will see a drop down box labeled "Recipient Type".  On a new form the default is "Static List".  When "Static List" is selected, you will see a text box that is labeled "List of E-mails to send to:".  A static list of email addresses may be entered in that textbox as a comma separated list.  When the form is submitted by the end user, the results will be mailed to each recipient identified in the static list.

	figure 3

Using A Dynamic Email List

1) Add Appropriate Controls to Your Form

Dynamic email capability is limited to two types of controls:  The Radio Button Group and the Drop Down Select Box.  Obviously you will need to add a one of the valid control types to your form in order to use the dynamic email capability.
As the editor of the new form, you will be responsible for the options and the values that are entered into the new control.  It would not hurt to check the spelling of the labels for your control or the validity of the email addresses that you enter as values (see figure 4).  Valid values include single email addresses, a comma separated list of addresses or a valid exchange mailing list ( e.g.  its-schedule@bethel.edu ).

	figure 4

2) Select the Choice From From Field Option

After you have added valid dynamic email controls to your from, return to the form action screen and select Email Owner Form Action (see figure 1 and figure 2).

In addition to the Static List option the Email Recipient Type drop down box contains an option for "Choice From Form Field" (see figure 5).  You will need to use that option to enable dynamic email processing of the form. 

	figure 5

When you select the "Choice From Form Field" option, the default text box will disappear and another drop down box will appear (that should be) labeled "Email Recipient Field" (see figure 6).  That is the option you will select to enable dynamic email from your form.  Note that None is the default select in the drop down box.  As long as None is selected you will see a red warning message to remind you that a valid email field must be selected.  While you can save the form with the None option selected, it is not recommended!  The user of the form will receive an error stating that the "Email Recipient Field was not configured" when the form is submitted. 

	figure 6

3) Select a Valid Dynamic Email Field

After you have added one or more of those controls to your form, the Email Recipient Field drop down box will contain the names of valid dynamic email controls located on your form.  Figure 7 shows the Email Recipient Field from a form with one valid dynamic email control (a Drop Down Select Box) on it.  When a valid dynamic email field is selected, the red warning message will disappear

	figure 7

4) Utilize Dynamic Email Capability

When an end user is utilizing your form, they can take advantage of the dynamic email process that you built into the form as it was created (see figure 8)

	figure 8