Author Topic: CSB FORMS - FORM PROCESSING WILL STOP!  (Read 31879 times)

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CSB FORMS - FORM PROCESSING WILL STOP!
« on: December 03, 2007, 10:35:41 AM »
Very shortly, GlobalSCAPE will begin to put a notice on the bottom of every form that will look like this:

***************************************
IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM CUTESITE BUILDER:

The CuteSITE Builder form server will stop processing forms at Noon (CDT) on July 1, 2008. Form submissions posted after that time will NOT be processed or logged.  We recommend that you switch to an alternative solution as soon as possible.  There are two options available, both of which are discussed in detail on the CuteSITE Builder User Forum in the topic titled "Migrating to a new form server" at http://forums.globalscape.com/tm.aspx?m=13815

Official Technical Support for CuteSITE Builder is no longer available. For help with CuteSITE Builder, please visit the CuteSITE Builder User Forum at http://forums.globalscape.com/tt.aspx?forumid=12
***************************************


Though this is unattractive, the form is still usable until June 30, 2008.
After you press REPLY in your email program, you can edit or DELETE the notice on the incoming email before sending your reply so your visitor will never see it!


I plan on discussing form security, free and paid options, email addresses, implementation of different options, maybe tutorials for scripting, etc...
« Last Edit: July 01, 2008, 01:08:56 PM by Samrc »
-Samantha
TNG: "Sometimes, you can make no mistakes, do everything right, and still lose" - Capt Picard to Data
(:turtle: In memory of Turtle: May 22, 1944 - Nov 24, 2007  GURU, mentor, and really nice guy! :turtleleft: )

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Re: CSB FORMS NOTICE - FORM PROCESSING WILL CEASE
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2008, 09:24:49 PM »
You should consider moving your forms to other options BEFORE the form server goes away.
Right now, your forms are being PROCESSED by GlobalSCAPE. Their server is used to push that form to YOUR email address.  It offers us very basic form services that meet the MAJORITY of needs for basic users.  Even offers minimal security from spammers.   From an earlier post I made about spam protections:
Quote
"The Trellix and CSB forms are very basic and have no such protections.  HOWEVER, the server that processes the forms does have a few protections like limiting the size (no more than 20 fields) and limiting the number of times the form can be submitted (no more than 10 per hour).  This protects your site from being pulled down by your host for spamming, but does not prevent a spammer from getting 10 emails out before being stopped."  But the standard CSB form does NOT protect your email address! Spambots can grab it ANY TIME they find your site!


New forms section of samisite.com is being worked on.
In the meantime, you might consider some options I have been testing and some that other folks have suggested:
(FYI: I get NOTHING for mentioning these to you, no cost break, no payments affiliate programs, nothing).
I AM NOT RECOMMENDING ANY SCRIPT OR FORM SERVICE!
ONLY MENTION THEM HERE AS POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES.
USE OF THE SCRIPTS/SERVICES IS AT YOUR OWN RISK!


THIS POST WILL BE MODIFIED OVER AND OVER TO EXPAND/ADJUST INFORMATION.
Remember you can use a combination of services.  I use a free form service for some sites and use paid scripts for others. 

Before choosing a third-party HOSTED option, PLEASE read any PRIVACY statements provided by the form server.  Do they specifically tell you that the email addresses will not be harvested, maintained, etc...Or are you putting clients at risk of being spammed?  You need to be sure you know that answer before implementing any third-party form!  Some sites are not reputable and use form processing as a way to gather email addresses.



FREE OPTIONS - ONLINE hosted email forms.
Build a form, get a piece of code, put it into an insert HTML and your form appears on your page!  Forms are processed on the 3rd party site, like what we have had with CSB form server.  Consider the following sites:
PRO:  If the form gets spammed/attacked, it will not harm your site. Form service does the maintenance. Easy to put on your web page.
CON:  Limitations on number of forms, or submissions, design, etc.  Dependent on another website.
---------------------

<a href="http://www.emailmeform.com" title=”EmailMe Form”>EmailMe Form[/url] - A free service offering customizable web forms (Contact forms, online Questionnaires and Surveys ) and they host it on their server, so it works with any site, regardless of the ability to run scripts.   
- EASY to setup and use. 
- Can make many forms per person, and/or forms for more than one site all under same account.
- PRO: This one can work inside an iframe so your thank you page will appear where the form is-great for tight space or for full page use.  After tweaking the code a bit, I put a tiny iframe form in the bottom of the left border for some friends of mine: tuckerkirby.com/contact.htm 
- For what I need to do with free forms, this is the best so far  :hapscream:


<a href="http://www.jotform.com" title=”JotForm”>JotForm[/url] is the first web based WYSIWYG form builder. Its intuitive drag and drop user interface makes form building a breeze. Using JotForm, you can create forms, integrate them to your site and collect submissions from your visitors.
- EASY to setup and use.
- Has a forum for support.
- free and paid version for more forms/fields, etc.
- Can make many forms per person, and/or forms for more than one site all under same account.
- CON: This form does not work in an iframe if you want to adjust the code. Thank you page replaces the WHOLE PAGE every time. So you can not define where the Thank you appears.
- Tried this one first, went with emailmeform.com instead so I could control where Thank You page appears.
- If you are not trying to fit your form into a table, a border, etc then this service could still work for you.

formsite.com Build professional, non-branded, advertisement-free registration forms, secure order forms, and customer surveys in just minutes. There is nothing to download or install. All results are stored in our database and can be optionally downloaded or emailed. We provide over 100 professional templates to get you started fast.
- EASY to setup and use.
- free and paid version for more forms/fields, etc.


PAID OPTIONS - ONLINE hosted email forms.
The services that are free above also come with PAID options.
PRO:  Provide more services (more submissions per site, more forms, storage, database, etc., etc than free versions). If the form gets spammed/attacked, it will not harm your site.  Form service does the maintenance.  Easy to put on your web page.
CON:  Monthly or annual cost.  Some have limitations on designs.  Dependent on another website.
---------------------

emailmeform.com plans:  $9.95/month
formsite.com: $9.95/mo, other plans (captcha not available til $19/95/mo)
jotform.com plans:   $9.95/month
omnistarforms.com:   $7.95/month 
web-form-buddy.com: $39.95/annual =$3.33/mo for a SINGLE domain.
whiz-mail.cc: 2 forms= $3.95/mo (or $2.07/mo if yr paid), other plans more forms, options... 


PAID OPTIONS - FORM ON YOUR SITE using code!
PRO:  More control of form design and function.  Independent. No other site controls your forms.
CON:  Must be installed on your web server.  Script has cost.  If the form gets spammed/attacked and script is not secure, it could harm your site or have it taken down by your host! You are responsible for updating the script to keep it secure. Some scripts come with free upgrades, some don't.  Some HTML coding helpful.
---------------------

- coffeecup form - flash form   $39
- Ultimate Form Mail  PHP form script - pricing varies depending on how many licenses
- omnistarforms.com: $27 PHP script (couldn't find clarification but download cost is probably per site)
- csFormBuilder $49


FORM SECURITY- IS YOUR FORM SAFE?
I am not referring to encryption or credit card ssl type security.  I am mean spammer safe.
The options built into your script, the more it matches this description, the better the security on the form.
Insecure forms can cause YOUR SITE to be used by a spammer to send hundreds/thousands of emails and your host will take action against YOUR SITE to stop it, possibly taking your site DOWN to stop the flood.  Remember your form is your responsibility. Your insecure form can cause a host/server to get blacklisted.

Very basic security:  CSB form offers this, but spammers can still use the form.
- might limit the number of fields (CSB form does this)
- might limit number of entries per IP address (CSB form does this)
- might limit number of entries per hour (CSB form does this)
- might allow you to require certain fields so form will not send without them
- should keep your email address private  (CSB fails here. CSB's form has email addy in webpage source code, exposed to spammers!)


Human input - advanced security:
- might include CAPTCHA or a hidden token code so the web page is specific to human entry.  Note: Some CAPTCHA images are now readable by spambots so this is not the ONLY security measure you should use!
- might include limitations on which fields will allow email addresses.  If you put email addy into unapproved field, form fails.
- should not allow certain characters into certain fields. This prevents code injection.  Spammers push their code into a form and make a form send hundreds of emails.
- should check for changes to the form/content (try to send it to other address instead of yours)
- might verify field input like phone is actually a phone number, etc
- might have a confirmation screen before sending the form
- might include other security features not mentioned here (like flash, currently not readable by bots).


Other considerations:
- should not be part of the FORM MAIL family of scripts - very insecure and will get your site taken down.
- Script information should not be included in web page. PHP code is a good suggestion here since an external document is used to define the email processing.
- read comments on hotscripts and other script sites
« Last Edit: December 04, 2011, 10:26:18 AM by Samrc »
-Samantha
TNG: "Sometimes, you can make no mistakes, do everything right, and still lose" - Capt Picard to Data
(:turtle: In memory of Turtle: May 22, 1944 - Nov 24, 2007  GURU, mentor, and really nice guy! :turtleleft: )

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Re: CSB FORMS NOTICE - FORM PROCESSING WILL CEASE
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2008, 11:51:40 PM »
Thanks Sam, I checked out emailformme and it looks good but I could not find a link or information about their pro service. Since I don't want to start with one thing and end up changing to another some time soon down the road I would like to know more about that so I need to keep looking. I just wanted to mention I think it is worth it to take the time to see what a pro plan of any freebie would be even if you aren't ready for it yet. I may actually be ready for it but I don't know until I know what it offers lol.

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Re: CSB FORMS NOTICE - FORM PROCESSING WILL CEASE
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2008, 09:02:47 AM »
I added links above re the plan descriptions for you.

Most online form services offer two ways of using the form that is generated on their site:
1) They offer an iframe code so they host the form and you just pull it into your web page.  Simple and easy.  This is best for most of the CSB users. Using this option, you build the form at thier site and can make limited design changes at THIER site. Making a vertical form for a tight border is difficult/impossible but if you need a larger form for the middle of your web page, this service works well for both companies. 
2) The other choice they offer...take the code and tweak to fit YOUR situation which is what I did with both services.
- With jotform.com, If you modify the code and put it into your web page. Works fine But you can not use it in an iframe and have the thank you appear in the iframe.  It will always replace the full page you are on. 
- With emailmeform.com you CAN modify the look of the form and put it in your web page. Works fine. And better yet, you can pull it into the page with an iframe and have the response appear in the iframe, keeping the webpage static only changing the area with the form!  (gave an example above that I made)

Why do you need the ability to use your own iframe with thank you inside the iframe?    You might not.  I use it often!  So the ability to have a flexible iframe form is important to me.
Check out my own main contact form on samisite.com.  It appears to be on the page when in fact it is being pulled into the page with an iframe.  The benefits: 1) the form can fit into smaller areas (even a border) and does not require a full web page of its own, 2) looks more "built-in", 3) the thank you appears where the form is.  The rest of the page remains stable when you submit the form.

I will have a full tutorial on this....
« Last Edit: April 22, 2008, 11:38:21 AM by Samrc »
-Samantha
TNG: "Sometimes, you can make no mistakes, do everything right, and still lose" - Capt Picard to Data
(:turtle: In memory of Turtle: May 22, 1944 - Nov 24, 2007  GURU, mentor, and really nice guy! :turtleleft: )

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Re: CSB FORMS NOTICE - FORM PROCESSING WILL CEASE
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2008, 11:18:22 AM »
I use this one csFormBuilder

you can see on my sites
http://users.skynet.be/lavalleedureve/livre/livre_remplir.htm
http://www.hermitage-evolene.ch/resevation_fr.htm
http://www.zooblum.be/livreor/notre_livre_or.htm

It is very easy to use



(adjusted the link to point to the script then added this choice to the list above-samrc)
« Last Edit: April 22, 2008, 11:25:48 AM by Samrc »

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Re: CSB FORMS NOTICE - FORM PROCESSING WILL CEASE
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2008, 03:00:06 PM »
Thank you very much Sam! Up to ten dollars seems high but when I think of all the junk mail I would keep myself from looking through and what my time.. or some one else's time is worth to do it.. gosh ten dollars a month is cheap! Or  9.95 etc.. but you get my point. I hate to have to pay but after the CSB form got under the control of a spammer it was a nightmare and so is having my mailto: link online.
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Re: CSB FORMS NOTICE - FORM PROCESSING WILL CEASE
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2008, 07:15:07 PM »
Well.... Using an email link on the website is crazy these days.  (know of one site that demanded that even though I could prove it was just asking for tons of trouble).  Used an obfuscator to help disguise the email addy as best I could since they did not want captcha, or a form, only email links.

The true options for csb users:
- free online hosted forms - like globalscape (CSB) form, this is most basic option and will work for most people.
- paid online hosted forms - for more submissions, more options
- paid secure scripts. 

Secure script is the most technical way to offer forms on your website and requires the most html/php coding experience. Can be the most flexible and versatile, but must be maintained by the webmaster....upgraded to keep the forms secure.

(added more to the post above....)
« Last Edit: June 28, 2008, 11:14:56 AM by Samrc »
-Samantha
TNG: "Sometimes, you can make no mistakes, do everything right, and still lose" - Capt Picard to Data
(:turtle: In memory of Turtle: May 22, 1944 - Nov 24, 2007  GURU, mentor, and really nice guy! :turtleleft: )

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Re: CSB FORMS NOTICE - FORM PROCESSING WILL CEASE
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2008, 10:27:48 AM »
Hi

Andrew from CSB5 board

I have been looking on the net for form builders.
I have come acorss
bestwebforms.com - webforms3.0
formassembly
webformdesigner
mycontactform.com
form-mkaer.com
softswot.com
phlnestsoftware.com

Quask is good but you have to use pay features - free is only good for 1 form use.

I like coffeecup but i still have win98se so do not think it will work.

But after much looking around on the net and reading Sam posting - Emailmeform.com is great!  I jsut signed up and it looked scary to build but it was easy. simple and fast - sort of like CSB5 forms.  I do have to find out how I can change colors as I have seen the numbers and letter codes before. I did not publish form yet on any of my CSB5 sites but the form did go to my email address so it works!

Thanks Sam

 :kickdancing:

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Re: CSB FORMS NOTICE - FORM PROCESSING WILL CEASE
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2008, 11:16:39 AM »
Glad we were able to help.
We will take a closer look at the ones you mentioned and keep our eyes open for other choices too as they become available.


COLORS.  Lots of charts on the market to look at.
If you want one showing only the CSB colors, check out my chart here.

-Samantha
TNG: "Sometimes, you can make no mistakes, do everything right, and still lose" - Capt Picard to Data
(:turtle: In memory of Turtle: May 22, 1944 - Nov 24, 2007  GURU, mentor, and really nice guy! :turtleleft: )

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Re: CSB FORMS NOTICE - FORM PROCESSING WILL CEASE
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2008, 12:25:56 AM »
Samisite home page now has a COUNT DOWN til the form server is down...
http://www.samisite.com/countdown_clock_csbform.swf
-Samantha
TNG: "Sometimes, you can make no mistakes, do everything right, and still lose" - Capt Picard to Data
(:turtle: In memory of Turtle: May 22, 1944 - Nov 24, 2007  GURU, mentor, and really nice guy! :turtleleft: )

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Re: CSB FORMS - FORM PROCESSING HAS STOPPED!
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2008, 01:11:41 PM »
FORM SERVER AT GLOBALSCAPE IS NOW OFFLINE.  IT WILL NOT BE COMING BACK.
YOU MUST REPLACE YOUR FORMS.
-Samantha
TNG: "Sometimes, you can make no mistakes, do everything right, and still lose" - Capt Picard to Data
(:turtle: In memory of Turtle: May 22, 1944 - Nov 24, 2007  GURU, mentor, and really nice guy! :turtleleft: )