We were having very similar problems. I had set up an HTML-based form, as well as a PDF form, but neither were working. I finally got the PDF form to work, but I eventually realized that the HTML form required a mailman program on our web host (Yahoo, at the moment). Yahoo's mailman wouldn't allow us to custom-set the email address the form was supposed to go to. If you have a less-draconian hosting service, or host internally, it's actually pretty easy (I think...) to use their mailman. You would just have to specify the location of the mailman and the email address the form should go to. (Hopefully someone with more info about this process can confirm or deny my rumors...!)
We finally ended up using Google Docs and their form-building tool. It uses an Excel-like format to collect the responses, and you can download the responses into Excel. Pretty cool! I'm likely to create another one this week for exactly what you're planning to do. If you end up using a PDF, you can specify that the responses get sent back to you in an XML or CSV format which can be imported into Excel. You'll need Adobe Acrobat to create the form, however. Good luck! Perian Sully Collections Information Manager Web Programs Strategist The Magnes Berkeley, CA -----Original Message----- From: mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu [mailto:mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 8:46 PM To: mcn-l at mcn.edu Subject: Re: [MCN-L] Form submission software and time-lapse video In answer to the first question.... You might look at and play around with Google Documents as an inexpensive (FREE!) solution.?? They have pretty good integration between Gmail, Google Docs (with a spread sheet and a simple form creating template). I've mussed around enough to know that it probably CAN be done, but not enough to know exactly how to do it -- good luck.?? *smile* - David - David Lewis, Curator Aurora Regional Fire Museum www.AuroraRegionalFireMuseum.org -----Original Message----- From: Richard Urban <[email protected]> To: Museum Computer Network Listserv <mcn-l at mcn.edu> Sent: Wed, 21 Jan 2009 7:46 pm Subject: [MCN-L] Form submission software and time-lapse video Begin forwarded message: > > Hello MCN-L, > > I have a couple unrelated questions I would like to throw out to the > List. > > First, we in the Photo Department at VMFA are looking for some sort > of form submission solution. Currently, requests for photography > from the museum staff come to us on paper. We are looking for a > software solution, in a box (via intranet) or web-based, that will > allow our internal staff to digitally submit requests for > photography from their own computers. It would be ideal if these > forms could be exported into a spreadsheet like Excel. Another perk > would be if the form submission system would allow tracking, so that > we can acknowledge receipt of the request and acknowledge=2 0 > completion. We do not currently have a museum-wide digital asset > management system, though I know some of the ?enterprise? systems > allow this feature. We are looking for recommendations, if anyone > has any, for systems, packages, or web-based systems that would > allow this sort of online form submission and tracking that would be > separate from an asset management system. > > Secondly, we are looking for recommendations for inexpensive digital > video cameras that have a time-lapse capture feature. If anyone is > using anything to accomplish these sort of videos, we would > appreciate hearing about what you are using. We are looking > specifically for small, light, and inexpensive camera systems for > documenting installations and construction. > > Thanks in advance... > > > Travis Fullerton > Assistant Photographer > Photography Department > > Virginia Museum of Fine Arts > 200 N Boulevard / Richmond, VA 23220-4007 > T 804.340.1538 / F 804.340.1548 > travis.fullerton at vmfa.museum > > www.vmfa.museum > > > > _______________________________________________ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l The MCN-L archives can be found at: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/pipermail/mcn-l/ _______________________________________________ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l The MCN-L archives can be found at: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/pipermail/mcn-l/
