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Using Other Form Controls 341

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Output ▼

Creating Large Text-Entry Fields with textarea

The textarea element creates a large text entry field where people can enter as much
information as they like. To create a textarea, use the tag. To set the size of<br /> the field, use the rows and cols attributes. These attributes specify the height and width<br /> of the text area in characters. A text area with cols set to 5 and rows set to 40 creates<br /> a field that’s 5 lines of text high and 40 characters wide. If you leave out the rows and<br /> cols attributes, the browser default will be used. This can vary, so you should make sure<br /> to include those attributes to maintain the form’s appearance across browsers. The clos-<br /> ing textarea tag is required, and any text you place inside the textarea tag is displayed<br /> inside the field as the default value:</p><br /> <p>Input ▼</p><br /> <label for="question4" style="display: block;">Please comment on our customer<br /> service.</label><br /> <textarea name="question4" rows="10" cols="60">Enter your answer here<br />

Figure 12.18 shows a textarea element in action.

FIGURE 12.17
The button ele-
ment provides a
more flexible way
to create form but-
tons.