Two forms share same input

Question

How can two forms share the same inputs? I have two forms, one for two different paths... if i wanted to get the user to enter their name, but only once.... how could both forms get hold on this field?

Answer 1

In HTML5 you could do it without JavaScript. Do one form with one set of inputs, and just make two submit buttons using a different formaction attributes found on Mozilla Developer Network like this:

<form>
    <input name="fname" type="text" />

    <input type="submit" value="button one" formaction="script_one.php">
    <input type="submit" value="button two" formaction="script_two.php">
</form>

Answer 2

Using JavaScript you could set one field's value to another's.

Something like:

document.form2.input.value = this.value;

Put that code in the onblur event for your first form.

So:

<form name="form1">
<input type="text" name="input" onblur="document.form2.input.value = this.value;" />
</form>

<form name="form2">
<input type="text" name="input" onblur="document.form1.input.value = this.value;" />
</form>