Collect user input and work with variables

App tutorial · Step 7 of 25

Build a three-form app that creates an Active Directory user and manages its group memberships.

So far, we've only added read-only items to our form. In this step, we'll introduce items that collect data from the user, and then we'll store that data in variables. Variables are, in a sense, the "engine" of NIM apps. They let us store state and get data where it needs to be.

1. We'll add 3 Input Text items to our form in consecutive rows, and set each item's column width to 6.

2. Configure the first input for the user’s first name:

   Property	Value
   Label mode	Float
   Variable name	new_FirstName
   Label text	First Name
   Margin TRBL	__3_
   Minimum length	3
   Required	Yes
   Validation message	User must have first name, with a minimum of 3 characters

   tip

   NIM stores the entered value in new_FirstName. You can bind this variable to generators and actions later in the app.

3. Configure the middle-name input: Label mode: Float; Variable name: new_MiddleName; Label text: Middle Name; Margin TRBL: __3_.

4. Configure the last-name input: Label mode: Float; Variable name: new_LastName; Label text: Last Name; Margin TRBL: __3_; Minimum length: 3; Required: Yes; Validation message: User must have last name, with a minimum of 3 characters.

5. We'll click Save to save our progress so far.