Chapter 8. Dealing with Forms

In this chapter, we look at the forms generated by the Drupal core and how they can be themed. This chapter covers all the default forms available on the front end of the website, including the various search, login, and contact forms, as well as the output of the Polls module. It's worth noting at the outset that this chapter is about theming forms, not creating custom forms; accordingly, the contents of this chapter are concerned with presentation not with adding or deleting form elements or creating new forms.

There are no additional files to download or install for this chapter; all examples are based on the default Garland theme. You will, however, need, access to your favorite editor to make the modifications discussed here, as well as a Drupal installation on which to preview your work.

How Forms Work in Drupal

With Drupal 5, the approach to form handling continues to evolve. Drupal forms are tightly integrated into the core, and as a result, theming them...