Form API vs straight php

If I remember correctly it can be found at http://api.drupal.org

-Olegu
http://www.zbz5.net/

Basically what you want to do is move the form element from the existing form to a spot "lower" in the tree. In the example that follows for the page module edit form, we wrap the taxonomy fieldset in our own fieldset (not very pratical, but hopeful it will help you progress).
Word of warning, your module must either be alphabitically after the module whos fields you want to modify or have a greater weight.
To try it out make a directory called zformmodifier under the modules directory and place the example below in a file called zformmodifier.module.

// Get the part of the form we want to wrap
$taxonomy = $form['taxonomy'];

// Remove it from the form
unset($form['taxonomy']);

// Add the wrapper, here we just use a fieldset

$form['taxonomywrapper'] = array('#type' => 'fieldset',
'#title' => 'My taxonomy wrapper',
'#weight' => $taxonomy['#weight']);

// Now add the original form part back as a child of the wrapper
$form['taxonomywrapper']['taxonomy'] = $taxonomy;

}
}

Yes, if you know how to do forms in HTML with PHP already, and you want a normal enter-submit form where you catch all your content yourself, the API does seem to just get in the way

But once you want to work with validation, persistance and themes, it starts paying off.

And when (like this query) you want to modify an existing Drupal form, it's gold.
(But still a bit painful)

My methods are -

1. Create a lightweight development module.
2. Impliment hook_form_alter()
   
   <?php
function demo_form_alter($form_id,&$form){
  drupal_set_message("Altering '$form_id' <code>&quot;.htmlspecialchars(print_r($form,1)).&quot;</code>");
}

function demo_install() {
  // ensure this always runs AFTER core.modules have done their forms;
  db_query("UPDATE {system} SET weight = 3 WHERE name = 'demo'");
}
?>
3. That little bastard will run all over your site, showing what's going on, Find the page you want, and study the structure you want to manipulate. Yeah it's huge.
4. Significantly, your new module may get called asynchronously with the other modules that act on the form. If you want to mess with functionality that something else has but there (adding categories is a form_alter action done to node-form by taxonomy.module) You have to be called after it's done its thing. Do this by setting the system weight of your new module.
   That's what the demo_install does. I listed it above because you have to have it there from the very start of testing or it gets hairy.
5. So, right. The categories fieldset is put into the form as $form['taxonomy'][1] and [2] (I've enabled two vocabs, as I think that's what you want to do)
6. It basic, although not trivial to manipulate that fieldset using normal array assignment.
7. Adding your own field additions (like the majority of modules do) is easier, and you don't have to worry (much) about load order.
   
   <?php
function demo_form_alter($form_id,&$form){
  drupal_set_message("Altering '$form_id' <code>&quot;.htmlspecialchars(print_r($form,1)).&quot;</code>");
  if($form['#id'] == 'node-form'){
    $form['taxonomy']['whocares'] = array(
      '#type' => 'checkbox',
      '#title' => 'Do I care?',
    );
  }
}
?>

I believe your desire for 'tabs' (A major restructuring, I think) could begin to be addressed by trying to go :

.dan.
How to troubleshoot Drupal | http://www.coders.co.nz/

but for the example you need to create the module myform (the example goes in a file called myform.module in the directory modules/myform). Note if you are using Drupal 5 you will also need a myform.info file (see below). Copy the sample and place in myform.module, then enable the module. Now you can use the path 'myform/sample' to access the form. If you site is at http://www.example.com the URL would be http://www.example.com/myform/sample (without clean URLS that would be http://www.example.com/index.php?q=myform/sample).

If using Drupal 5 you will also need a myform.info (also in modules/myform) that looks something like this

You need to use the right value, which would be (from the top of my head): poll_node_form. However, I'm sure this approach is doomed.

As to II: how does it fail? Do you use the core poll module or another module?

Node forms can be printed elsewhere with:

PS It's best to open a new thread for these kind of questions.
--
The Manual | Troubleshooting FAQ | Tips for posting | How to report a security issue.

To embed an existing form into another form or any other place try to use www.drupal.org/project/subform_element
This module allows you to build a form which consists of one subform element which embeds any of existing forms.
----------------
Regards,
Dmitry Kresin, ARDAS group - Web site development, Drupal services, Software development, IT outsourcing.

It sounds like what you want is to set $form_state['rebuild'] = TRUE in your submit handler. That will cause the form to be rebuilt. Your form building function will get a copy of the populated form_state, and there will be no redirection. That'll give you a chance to add additional information in the form building function itself.

--
Lullabot! | Eaton's blog | VotingAPI discussion

look at /myform instead - if you look at the navigation menu you'll see it adds a menu item for you.