A simple form:
Make sure to change the ACTION attribute in the FORM tag of this form to match the full URL to where your cart.pl script is located. It needs to match Host Variable #1 in your vars.dat file exactly.

This HTML form...

<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl"> <B> Black Leather purse with leather straps<BR> Price: $20.00<BR> </B> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=name VALUE="Black Leather Purse"> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=price VALUE="20.00"> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=sh VALUE="1"> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=img VALUE="purse.jpg"> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=img2 VALUE="purse_large.jpg"> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=return VALUE="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/custom.html"> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=custom1 VALUE="Black Leather purse with leather straps"> <INPUT TYPE=SUBMIT NAME="add" VALUE="Put in Shopping Cart"> </FORM>

Makes this...

Black Leather purse with leather straps Price: $20.00

Want to send multiple items to the shopping cart at one time with the use of checkboxes? Make sure you set the "name" tag to "multi-items". For each item, use "multi-item1", "multi-item2", etc. The value of each multi-item is four or more fields separated by the "|" delimiter. The key to the fields are as follows:

name|price|shipping|image|custom1|custom2|custom3|etc.

Or if linking your thumbnails to larger images:
name|price|shipping|image::image2|custom1|custom2|custom3|etc.
Use two colons as the sub-delimiter between the image names.

You may use a quantity text box with each multi-item. Just give it a corresponding number such as "quantity1", "quantity2", etc. If you omit the quantity text box, a default value of one will be given. Be sure to set Personal Variable #1 to the number of the largest number of multiple items you have in a form. For example, if you have a form that has 50 multiple items in it, set Personal Variable #1 to 50. The cart script wont look for any items higher than that array.

"multi-items" HTML form limitations:
If you use "multi-items" forms, then you can't use any comprehensive capabilities with them. In other words, you can't put a bunch of pull-down menus next to each product. The way that "multi-items" forms work best is with a huge list of products with check boxes down the page that don't need any extra custom descriptions.
If you want to use comprehensive forms, you will be able to do many powerful things, but a "Put in cart" button will need to accompany every individual product.

<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl">

Item: Quantity:<BR>
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="name" VALUE="multi-items">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="return" VALUE="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/custom.html">
<INPUT TYPE=CHECKBOX NAME="multi-item1" VALUE="Banana Split|3.95|1|split.jpg|A delicious ice cream treat.">

Banana Split<INPUT TYPE=TEXT NAME="quantity1"  VALUE="1" SIZE=2 MAXLENGTH=2><BR>
 
<INPUT TYPE=CHECKBOX NAME="multi-item2" VALUE="Pineapple|2|1|pineapple.jpg|A juicy pineapple.">
Pineapple<INPUT TYPE=TEXT NAME="quantity2" VALUE="1" SIZE=2 MAXLENGTH=2><BR>
 
<INPUT TYPE=CHECKBOX NAME="multi-item3" VALUE="Watermelon|3|1|watermelon.jpg|A ripe watermelon.">
Watermelon<INPUT TYPE=TEXT NAME="quantity3" VALUE="1" SIZE=2 MAXLENGTH=2><BR>

<INPUT TYPE=SUBMIT NAME="add" VALUE="Put these in my cart!">
</FORM>

This is the HTML you use to display an image link that allows customers to "look" into their cart, or finish their purchase. Make sure you set the FORM ACTION to the correct URL. Also, set the proper URL to the cart.gif. It is recommended to have this image link on every page of your website. If your website uses frames, it is recommended to have it in your toolbar frame and use TARGET.

Example #1 (a link)
<A HREF="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/YourStore/cgi-bin/cart.pl?look|MerchantNameHere">
<IMG SRC="cart.gif" BORDER=0 ALT="View Your Shopping Cart"></A>
 
Example #2 (a form)
<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/YourStore/cgi-bin/cart.pl">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=return VALUE="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/YourStore/SuperWuper.html">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=purpose VALUE="look">
<INPUT TYPE=IMAGE SRC="cart.gif" NAME="View Cart/Checkout" BORDER=0>
</FORM>

When using Example #2 above, just be sure to include this tag like you do in your HTML product forms:
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=merchant VALUE="MerchantNameHere">

This Shopping Cart has been upraded with new powerful search features. Make sure you add Database Variable #25 and #26 to your vars.html file to take advantage of these new powerful features. Also, make sure you have lang.dat #91 through 96 and 149 and 150 from the lang.html file.

The form below shows you how the Shopping Cart can search your flat-file databases for the products. Copy and paste it into one of your web pages. Make sure you change the FORM ACTION to the URL to the cart.pl script on your site. It will be the same URL as you have in Host Variable #1 in your vars.html file.

Don't forget to use the "merchant" tag like so:
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="merchant" VALUE="MerchantName">


You will find 7 form variables below. db, category, search, method, price, display and return. The only variable that is required is db because you must tell the script which file to search. The rest are optional. If you do not define category, then all categories in the database file will be searched. If you do not define search (with key words) then all items will be displayed. By using the price variable you can search for specific price ranges. If you omit price then all items can be matched regardless of their price. The method variable allows your shoppers to search for "any words", "all words" or a "phrase". If you omit the method variable the default search method will be "any words". The display variable allows your shoppers to control how many items are displayed per page. The "return" variable allows you to tell the cart what URL to take a shopper to when they click the "Continue Shopping" button. If you omit this variable, the cart will use the URL you put in Database Variable #23 and if you have that blank, the return URL will be a link right back to the database display they just came from.

Foreign character search compatibility: If you have characters in your database such as any of these:
ŠšŸÀÁÂÃÄÅÇÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏÑÒÓÔÕÖÙÚÛÜÝàáâãäåçèéêëìíîïðñòóôõöùúûüýÿ
The cart will return a match for words with those characters in them even if the shopper didn't type in the exact character. For example, someone searches for "El Nino" but you have "El Niño" in your product database, the cart will match it with or without the tilde "~". The reverse is true too. If someone searches for "Alegría" and you have "Alegria" in your database without the accent, the cart will still match it.

HREF links can be used just as well. Here are some examples:

http://www.e-BlackHills.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl?db=stuff.dat?merchant=YourStore
The only variable passed is db so all items are returned.

http://www.e-BlackHills.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl?db=stuff.dat&category=Books?merchant=YourStore
category is defined so the script only returns items in that category.

http://www.e-BlackHills.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl?db=stuff.dat&category=Books&search=Boy+Scout?merchant=YourStore
Now "Boy Scout" is the key word search criteria so the script only returns matches for that in the "Books" category. Notice that you use plus signs (+) for spaces inside URLs.

This HTML form...

<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl"> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="merchant" VALUE="MerchantName"> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=db VALUE="stuff.dat"> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=return VALUE="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/custom.html"> Category: <SELECT NAME=category> <OPTION VALUE="">All Categories <OPTION>Books <OPTION>Clothing <OPTION>Hotel </SELECT> <BR> Search For: <INPUT TYPE=TEXT NAME=search SIZE=30 MAXLENGTH=30> <BR> Method: <SELECT NAME=method> <OPTION VALUE="any_words">Any Words <OPTION VALUE="all_words">All Words <OPTION VALUE="phrase">As A Phrase </SELECT> <BR> Price Range: <SELECT NAME=price> <OPTION VALUE="">Any price <OPTION VALUE="10">Less than $10 <OPTION VALUE="10-20">$10 to $20 <OPTION VALUE="20-10000">$20 to $10000 </SELECT> <BR> Items per page: <SELECT NAME=display> <OPTION VALUE="5">5 Items per page <OPTION VALUE="10">10 Items per page <OPTION VALUE="25">25 Items per page <OPTION VALUE="50">50 Items per page </SELECT> <BR> <INPUT TYPE=SUBMIT VALUE="Search!"> </FORM>

Makes this...

Category: All Categories Books Clothing Hotel Search For: Method: Any Words All Words As A Phrase Price Range: Any price Less than $10 $10 to $20 $20 to $10000 Items per page: 5 Items per page 10 Items per page 25 Items per page 50 Items per page

Required Fields:
This requires the use of JavaScript. Make sure to change the ACTION attribute in the FORM tag of this form to match the full URL to where your cart.pl script is located. It needs to match Host Variable #1 in your vars.dat file exactly. If a shopper has JavaScript enabled in their browser, the two text fields will be required. If they don't, the fields wont be required, but the form will still work. Try clicking the "Order Now!" button below without entering a first or last name. It will prevent you from moving to the next page until you enter those required fields.

• Copy and paste the JavaScript function into the top of your document.
• Put NAME="form1" in your FORM tag.
• Use the purple tags below in place of your submit button.

 
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
   function RequiredFields()
   {
      if (!document.form1.custom3.value ||
          !document.form1.custom4.value
         )
      {
         alert("Please enter all required fields.");
      }
      else
      {
         document.form1.submit();
      }
   }
</SCRIPT>
 
<FORM NAME="form1" METHOD=POST ACTION="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="merchant" VALUE="MerchantName">
<B>
Black Leather purse with leather straps<BR>
Price: $20.00<BR>
</B>
 
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=name     VALUE="Black Leather Purse">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=price    VALUE="20.00">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=sh       VALUE="1">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=img      VALUE="purse.jpg">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=img2     VALUE="purse_large.jpg">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=return   VALUE="http://www.e-BlackHills.com/custom.html">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=custom1  VALUE="Black Leather purse with leather straps">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=custom2  VALUE="First and last name to be embroidered on purse:">
Name to be embroidered on purse:<BR>
First Name: <INPUT TYPE=TEXT NAME=custom3 SIZE=20 MAXLENGTH=30><BR>
Last Name: <INPUT TYPE=TEXT NAME=custom4 SIZE=20 MAXLENGTH=30><BR>
 
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">

document.write('<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="add" VALUE="1">\n<INPUT TYPE=BUTTON VALUE="Order Now!" OnClick="RequiredFields()";>');
</SCRIPT>
<NOSCRIPT>
<INPUT TYPE=SUBMIT NAME="add" VALUE="Order Now!">
</NOSCRIPT>
</FORM>

You may add items to your cart with <FORM> tags and submit buttons as you see in section 1 and 2 of Template.html or you may use the GET method too by passing the name/value pairs to the cart.pl script in a query string.

Here is an example:

http://www.e-BlackHills.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl?name=Purse&price=20&custom1=Black+Leather?merchant=YourStore

Here are the rules:

• First link to the full URL to your cart.pl script.
• Then put a question mark.
• The first variable name must be "name" as you see above.
• Use the equal sign "=" to separate the names from the values.
• Use the ampersand "&" to separate each name/value pair.
• Since we can't put a space character in a URL, subsitute those with the plus sign "+".
• Use all the variable names you like as you find them in section 1C of Template.html.

Here is another example:

http://www.e-BlackHills.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl?merchant=YourName?name=Purse&price=20&custom1=Black+Leather
&custom2=Large&quantity=3&sh=1&img=purse.jpg&return=http://www.e-BlackHills.com/custom.html&merchant=YourStore

The Mall Version requires you to use the merchant variable like so:
&merchant=MerchantName

If you would like to pass a URL with the "return" variable and it has a query string inside the URL, then encode these characters: (?,=,&) with these respective URL encodings: (%3F,%3D,%26).