IBM has created a Visual XForms Designer, a set of graphical tools and interfaces for expediting the creation and editing of documents with XForms-based content. This Eclipse plug-in makes the process of creating documents with XForms content easier, faster, and simpler, according to the project's home page.

There've been some other interesting content links related to XForms lately (see "Understanding XForms: the Model") so looking into XForms is worth consideration.

However, as with some other concepts - such as applets - the social problems around XForms still seem somewhat daunting. Is there a "tipping point" for XForms? At what point will enough users be able to support XForms that developers should learn how to truly leverage them?

I followed all the installation instructions (including installing WTP) and keep getting this error when I try to open an XHTML file with Visual XForms Designer:

java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.ibm.form.designer.core.editors.XFDLEditor

I followed all the installation instructions (including installing WTP) and keep getting this error when I try to open an XHTML file with Visual XForms Designer:java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.ibm.form.designer.core.editors.XFDLEditor

This may be the case of twisted dependencies. If you have an older version of XFG or CXDTK, then update those as well. If you continue to have problems, it probably best to post the alphaWorks forum at: http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/forums/dw_forum.jsp?cat=28&forum=855

Please add any Error Log entries that contain the exception stack trace.

Thanks,
Steve

I had to changed my Java link to point to 1.5 and it worked. The graphics didn't work in OSX, but I tried it out on Windows and all was good.

Thanks!

I tried to install the plugin following the installation instructions and I got this error " Device Kit (3.2.0) requires plug-in "com.ibm.ive.exampleframework"."
My current Eclipse version is: "Version: 3.1.2 Build id: M20060118-1600"

Thank you

Omer

for XForms to be used widely part we need two things:
1) support in IE and Mozilla browsers
2) a good free editor tool

It looks like the second one is finally provided by IBM
and for first one Mozilla is developing add-in for Firefox
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/xforms/

although there are lots of free Xforms players as plugin or flash or javascript client side components or server side components like
now we need to wait to see if Microsoft is going to support XForms in later versions of IE or not.
does any body here knows the answer?

for XForms to be used widely part we need two things:1) support in IE and Mozilla browsers2) a good free editor toolIt looks like the second one is finally provided by IBMand for first one Mozilla is developing add-in for Firefoxhttp://www.mozilla.org/projects/xforms/although there are lots of free Xforms players as plugin or flash or javascript client side components or server side components like now we need to wait to see if Microsoft is going to support XForms in later versions of IE or not.does any body here knows the answer?

Let me ask this,
Q. Did PDF or Flash need to be built into IE natively for those technologies to be sucessful?
A. No.

Q. Is XForms a browser-only technology?
A. No. So for XForms to be widely used is not necessarilly tied to browser support (see OpenOffice and ODF).

- Steve