Adding subscribe forms/boxes to your site

Contents

1. Abstract
2. Conventions used in this document
3. List links
4. Subscribe forms
5. Common elements
6. Box for one list
   1. Simple
   2. With an unsubscribe option
7. Box for multiple lists
   1. Simple
   2. With an unsubscribe option
8. Future

Abstract

A few simple ways one can link to a list or offer an easy "subscribe box" on their site.

Conventions used in this document

Whenever you see LISTNAME, replace it with the name of the desired list.

List links

If you want to link to a list, you can use something like the following. Most people will link to the list home, there are also other options should you need them.

• List home - http://lists.darkspire.net/LISTNAME/
• List archives - http://lists.darkspire.net/LISTNAME/archives/
• List ops - http://lists.darkspire.net/LISTNAME/ops/
• List subscribe - http://lists.darkspire.net/LISTNAME/subscribe/
• List unsubscribe - http://lists.darkspire.net/LISTNAME/unsubscribe/
• List reports - http://lists.darkspire.net/LISTNAME/reports/

Subscribe forms

You can easily add forms to your site to allow your visitors to subscribe to your lists, or lists that you enjoy.

These are examples, you can use them verbatim if you don't mind a plain looking form. Feel free to write the markup for your site however you see fit.

If none of this makes any sense to you, feel free to email me and I'll try to help you out if I can. I'll need the URI to your site and the type of form and lists you need included.

Common elements

All forms have the following elements.

success: "http://isp.net/~you/thanks.html"
A optional hidden parameter that can be set to show a success or thank you type page that you created.

list: "LISTNAME"
A required parameter, this sets the list you want to perform the command on.

email: "username@myisp.net"
This is for the user's email address. Normally you will want to supply this using an input field.

command: "subscribe, unsubscribe, info, or intro"
This will set which action you wish to perform. Normally this is a hidden value, drop-drown menu, or radio list.

Box for one list

These forms can work with a single list.

Simple

This is a simple, click here to subscribe type form.

<form method="post" action="http://lists.darkspire.net/LISTNAME/ops/">
    <!-- The line below is optional, it can point to a success page -->
    <input type="hidden" name="success" value="http://www.mysite.org/thanks.html"   />
    <input type="hidden" name="command" value="subscribe"   />
    <!-- Change LISTNAME to the name of the list -->
    <input type="hidden" name="list"    value="LISTNAME"   />
    <input type="text"   name="email"   />
    <input type="submit" name="submit" value="subscribe"   />
</form>

With an unsubscribe option

This one offers an unsubscribe option as well.

<form method="post" action="http://lists.darkspire.net/LISTNAME/ops/">
    <!-- The line below is optional, it can point to a success page -->
    <input type="hidden" name="success" value="http://www.mysite.org/thanks.html"   />
    <!-- Change LISTNAME to the name of the list -->
    <input type="hidden" name="list"    value="LISTNAME"   />
    <input type="text"   name="email"   />
    <input type="submit" name="submit" value="go"   /><br />
    <select name="command">
        <option value="subscribe">subscribe</option>
        <option value="unsubscribe">unsubscribe</option>
    </select>
</form>

Box for multiple lists

Simple

Choose from one of several lists, type in an email address and submit. Nice and easy.

<form method="post" action="http://lists.darkspire.net/LISTNAME/ops/">
    <!-- The line below is optional, it can point to a success page -->
    <input type="hidden" name="success" value="http://www.mysite.org/thanks.html"   />
    <input type="hidden" name="command" value="subscribe"   />
    <input type="text"   name="email"   />
    <input type="submit" name="submit" value="subscribe"   /><br />
    <!-- Change LISTNAME to the name of the list, one list per option element -->
    <!-- You can use as many option lines as you need                         -->
    <select name="list">
        <option>LISTNAME1</option>
        <option>LISTNAME2</option>
        <option>LISTNAME3</option>
    </select>
</form>

With an unsubscribe option

This one offers an unsubscribe option as well.

<form method="post" action="http://lists.darkspire.net/LISTNAME/ops/">
    <!-- The line below is optional, it can point to a success page -->
    <input type="hidden" name="success" value="http://www.mysite.org/thanks.html"   />
    <input type="hidden" name="command" value="subscribe"   />
    <input type="text"   name="email"   />
    <select name="command">
        <option value="subscribe">subscribe</option>
        <option value="unsubscribe">unsubscribe</option>
    </select><br />
    <!-- Change LISTNAME to the name of the list, one list per option element -->
    <!-- You can use as many option lines as you need                         -->
    <select name="list">
        <option>LISTNAME1</option>
        <option>LISTNAME2</option>
        <option>LISTNAME3</option>
    </select>
    <input type="submit" name="submit" value="go"   /><br />
</form>

Future

If there's enough demand, I'll automate the generation of markup to allow for all sorts of styles and options.

$Revision: 1.4 $
$Date: 2001/10/09 05:36:05 $