item on eBay's website, the first step is to register as a seller (see Figure 9.2). Figure 9.2. Potential eBay sellers use forms and form objects to register with eBay. [View full size image]   As you can see from Figure 9.2, numerous form objects exist to collect different types of information from the seller. Text boxes (like the one used in the search form) are used to collect general information such as first name, last name, address, city, email, and so on. Drop-down menus are used to allow the user to choose from predefined sets of states and countries, and from lists of months, days, and years for birthdays. In addition, if you scroll further down the page, a check box is used to collect a value indicating that yes, the user accepts the user agreement when checked; if left unchecked, no, the user does not agree with the user agreement. Finally, a button object is used to submit the information to eBay for processing. (We'll get to processing the content of forms and form objects in Part V, "Dynamic Web Page Development"). Both models (buyer and seller) demonstrate forms and form objects used in real-world websites that millions of people use on a daily basis. Of course, forms and form objects aren't exclusive to eBay. Companies all over the web use forms and form objects so that users can interact with the services they offer on their websites. Even with this explanation, you still might be unclear about the differences between forms and form objects. To clear up any misconceptions between the two, think of the process of registering for a driver's license at your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You wait in line until your turn comes up, you tell the usually expressionless attendant that you'd like to register to receive a new driver's license, in which case, she hands you a form. Think about what that form contains. Paper-based forms, like the one from the DMV, contain places for you to enter your name, address, city, zip, phone number, car model, car type, and so on. The places on that driver's license registration form can be considered form objects. You fill out the form (that is, you fill in all the form objects, or fields) and hand it back to the attendant for processing. Analogously speaking, the web is no different: Forms on the web contain form objects and in fact, are mutually exclusive. Now that you have an idea about what forms and form objects are and when and where they are used, let's actually build them within the context of our project. Throughout the rest of the chapter, we'll dissect forms and the various types of form objects you can use when working with forms in Dreamweaver.           Working with Forms and Form Objects As mentioned in the previous section, the addition of form objects to your web page begins with the addition of a form. You can think of the form as the container for its form objects. When the user clicks the Submit button, the entire form, along with all the form objects in the form, are sent for processing. In fact, the form contains numerous properties that tell the browser where and how the form will be sent for processing when the Submit button is clicked. Before we jump too far ahead of ourselves however, let's add a simple form to a web page. To do this, follow these instructions: