All steps after the form has been submitted
1. Data validation using JavaScript in the web browser
After the user has pressed the Submit button, the inputs are first validated by Visforms using JavaScript on the browser side. If it is determined that the data does not meet the stored data validation rules, corresponding error messages are displayed. Only when the local JavaScript validation in the web browser no longer finds any errors does the web browser send the form data to the Joomla backend.
2. Check for spambots
You can activate the use of Spam protection for forms in the form options. In this case, the next step is to check whether the data was sent by a known spambot. If necessary, the sending of the form data then breaks off directly with a corresponding error message.
3. Data validation using PHP on server side
In principle, it is always possible that data validation using JavaScript in the web browser does not recognize invalid data. For example, because the user has deactivated JavaScript completely, or because he is using an outdated web browser that does not carry out the validation correctly. A good and secure implementation must therefore always carry out server-side data validation. If Visforms finds invalid data during server-side data validation, the form is displayed again, including all the data that has already been entered. Which data was determined as invalid due to the server-side validation appears collectively in a message block above the form.
4. Captcha verification
You can activate the use of a captcha in the form options. More on this in: Spam protection for forms. In this case, the next step is to check whether the user has entered the captcha correctly. In the event of an error, the form including all entered data is displayed again together with a corresponding error message.
5. Security check
A few more internal security checks are then carried out with regard to session tokens and security tokens to protect against manipulation and hacker attacks.
6. Save data
Any upload files are uploaded in this step. You can set the form option “Save result” to “yes”. In this case, Visforms also saves the transmitted data in the database. More on this in: Saving and using data.
7. Send emails
Depending on your settings in the form options, a result email may be sent to you (administrator) and/or a user email to the website user. This step completes the successful submission of the form. More on this in: Send emails.
8. Forwarding and display of individual result texts
After submitting the form, Visforms redirects the user of your website to the home page and displays the success message “Form sent successfully”. However, you can also forward the user to any desired success page or deposit an individual success message. You make settings for this in the form configuration under the tab Result. More on this in: Success page and success message.