HTML Level 1 and 2 Manual

Home | Element Index | Forms | Screens & Colours | GIFs | Layout | Compatibility

Element Index > Forms

<TEXTAREA> Element

Category: Forms
Period: HTML 2.0 Level 2
Status: core

Description

Creates a multi-line text input.

Syntax

<TEXTAREA NAME="comments" ROWS="5" COLS="40">default text</TEXTAREA>

Attributes

NAME, ROWS, COLS.

Usage Guidelines

• Use for comments, messages and notes.
• Always set ROWS and COLS so browsers know the intended size.
• The text between start and end tags is the default value.
• The server must handle line endings and length.

Common Mistakes

• Do not place HTML markup inside as if it will render; it becomes text in the field.

Example Code

<P>Comments:<BR>
<TEXTAREA NAME="comments" ROWS="5" COLS="40"></TEXTAREA>

Authoring Note

Write the document first, then test it in a graphical browser and a text browser. The page should remain understandable if images fail, colours are ignored, or the browser uses its own fonts.

Top | Home | All Elements