> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.workflowgen.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.workflowgen.com/vs-web-forms/overview.md).

# Web Form Overview

## EFORMASPX

The EFORMASPX workflow application acts as a bridge between .NET web forms and WorkflowGen, and allows you to use web forms to edit your process data. See the [EFORMASPX](https://docs.advantys.com/docs/admin/workflow-applications/eformaspx-workflow-application) section in the [WorkflowGen Administration Guide](https://docs.advantys.com/docs/admin) for information on EFORMASPX parameters and their usage.

## Web form launch and submit procedures

The web form launch procedure is as follows:

1. WorkflowGen sends the request context to EFORMASPX.<br>
2. EFORMASPX integrates the WorkflowGen parameters into the form data XML file, then sends the request to the web form.<br>
3. The `WorkflowPage` superclass encapsulates all of the work that must be done to retrieve the form data from the EFORMASPX storage path.<br>
4. The developer can focus on their web form's functionalities and ignore transfers between EFORMASPX and the web form.

The web form submit procedure is as follows:

1. WorkflowGen gets the context and updates.<br>
2. EFORMASPX gets the `dataOUT.xml` file, updates the `context.xml` file with the new data, and then sends the context back to WorkflowGen.<br>
3. `WorkflowPage` writes `form_archive.htm` and `dataOUT.xml` to the EFORMASPX storage path.<br>
4. The web form calls the `SubmitToWorkflow()` method of the `WorkflowPage`.<br>
5. WorkflowGen gets the context and updates.

## Form data

Form data should be a DataSet or an XmlDocument used to store all of the web form field values and the IN, OUT, and/or INOUT parameters in WorkflowGen. This form data can be edited via the web form and then transmitted to EFORMASPX by the `WorkflowPage`. This form data is accessible in each EFORMASPX action in the `FORM_DATA` required parameter.

## Form archive

The form archive is a static view of a single completed action, usually stored in `form_archive.htm` file and accessible in the `FORM_ARCHIVE` data from WorkflowGen for each action containing the `FORM_ARCHIVE` parameter.

This form archive is automatically created on each action by `WorkflowPage`. You can decide whether or not you want to have it referenced in one of your workflow data.

The layout of the form archive can be customized by simply redefining the method that changes the form archive layout in the `WorkflowPage` class.

## Action parameters

The default action parameters of your EFORMASPX actions are as follows:

| **Parameter**                | **Direction** | **Description**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| ---------------------------- | :-----------: | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `FORM_FIELDS_READONLY`       |       IN      | List of fields to make read-only                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| `FORM_FIELDS_REQUIRED`       |       IN      | List of required fields                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| `FORM_FIELDS_HIDDEN`         |       IN      | List of hidden fields                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| `FORM_FIELDS_ARCHIVE_HIDDEN` |       IN      | List of fields that are hidden in the action form                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| `FORM_ARCHIVE`               |      OUT      | Contains the `form_archive.htm` file                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| `CURRENT_ACTION`             |       IN      | Usually, this parameter uses a macro that should contain the current action name                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| `PARAMS_XPATH`               |       IN      | If you use [Advanced mode](/vs-web-forms/web-form-development-advanced-mode.md) but you don’t want to use the `NewDataSet/Table1` structure in your form data, you can specify a custom XPath expression that leads to the parameters table in your `FORM_DATA` parameter |

## Storage path

The storage path is the location where EFORMASPX stores all of its temporary files before they are transferred to WorkflowGen. This path is unique for each web form instance. The following files are stored by EFORMASPX in the storage path:

* `context.xml`
* `result.xml`
* `session.xml`
* `dataIN.xml`
* `dataOUT.xml`

The storage path property of `WorkflowPage` gives you access to this directory, but you should never be using those files directly. The purpose of this storage path is to store temporary files.

Best practice is to always create a sub-directory within this storage path if you want to store anything temporarily.

Attachment files will automatically be saved in the upload sub-directory if you use the methods supplied for this task.

## Database connections

If you have any web controls or code-behind bound to a database, it is strongly recommended to use a connection name rather than a connection string to simplify multi-environment management. Connection names are centrally managed in the WorkflowGen `web.config` file.


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