Contact Form 7 tag syntax

Post author By Takayuki Miyoshi
Post date January 4, 2008
102 Comments on Contact Form 7 tag syntax

This page explains the syntax of Contact Form 7‘s tag. If you are not familiar with basic usage of Contact Form 7, please see the plugin’s homepage.

Contact Form 7 uses “tags” for two purposes; one is for form content and the other is for mail (to, from and subject fields and message body). Tags for form content has different syntax from ones for mail.

Example of a tag used in form content:
[email* your-email 60/200 "your-email@example.com"]

Example of a tag used in mail:
[your-email]

As seen in above examples, a tag for form content generally has more complicated syntax and many options. In the rest of this page, I write mainly about the syntax and options of form content tag.

Base syntax of form content tag
Tags for text field (text, text*, email and email*)
Tags for text area (textarea and textarea*)
Tags for drop-down menu (select)
Tags for checkboxes (checkbox)
Tags for radio buttons (radio)
Tags for CAPTCHA image (captchac)
Tags for CAPTCHA text field (captchar)

Base syntax of form content tag

A form content tag consists of a type, a name, options (optional) and values (optional).

Here is the syntax rule with my bogus BNF.

form content tag =

"[" type name option* value* "]"

type =

"text" | "text*" | "email" | "email*" | "textarea" | "textarea*" | "select" | "checkbox" | "radio" | "captchac" | "captchar"

name =

(same constraint as the name attribute of the input element)

option =

space [0-9A-Za-z:#_/-]+

value =

space ('"' string '"' | "'" string "'")

submit type tag is an exception. It doesn’t have name.

Tags for text field (`text`, `text`, `email` and `email`)

Description

A tag with type of text, text*, email or email* is replaced by a text input field. The difference among the four types is how input text is validated. text* and email* suppose inputs are not blank, so they are used for required fields. email and email* suppose inputs are email address.

Example

[text your-name 40/100 "Your Name"]
[email* your-email 40/ class:email akismet:author_email]

Options

(size)`/`(maxlength)	Field size and max length. You can omit one of them, like `40/` or `/100`.
`id:`(id)	`id` attribute value of the `input` element.
`class:`(class)	`class` attribute value of the `input` element. To set two or more classes, you can use multiple `class:` option, like `[text your-text class:y2008 class:m01 class:d01]`.
`akismet:author` `akismet:author_url` `akismet:author_email`	Options for using Akismet (spam filter). See here.

Values

A tag with this type can accept only one value and the value is used as default input value.

Tags for text area (`textarea` and `textarea*`)

Description

A tag with type of textarea or textarea* is replaced by a text area. textarea* supposes input is not blank, so it is used for required fields. While textarea accepts blank input.

Example

[textarea your-message 40x10]

Options

(cols)`x`(rows)	Columns (width) and rows (height) of text area. You can omit one of them, like `40x` or `x10`
`id:`(id)	`id` attribute value of the `textarea` element.
`class:`(class)	`class` attribute value of the `textarea` element. To set two or more classes, you can use multiple `class:` option, like `[textarea your-text class:y2008 class:m01 class:d01]`.

Values

A tag with this type can accept only one value and the value is used as default input value.

Tags for drop-down menu (`select`)

Description

A tag with select type is replaced by a drop-down menu and its options.

Example

[select your-menu "A" "B" "C"]

Options

`multiple`	Make drop-down menu multi-selectable.
`include_blank`	Insert a blank item “—” into the top of options of this drop-down menu.
`default:(num)`	Pre-selected options. The integer following `default:` is the position in the order of items. 1 is the first one. If you want to make two or more items selected, joint integers with _(underbar), as `default:1_2_3`.
`id:`(id)	`id` attribute value of the `select` element.
`class:`(class)	`class` attribute value of the `select` element. To set two or more classes, you can use multiple `class:` option, like `[select your-menu class:y2008 class:m01 class:d01]`.

Values

A tag with this type can accept multiple values. The values are used as options of the selection.

Tags for checkboxes (`checkbox`)

Description

A tag with checkbox type is replaced by a set of checkboxes.

Example

[checkbox your-checkbox "a" "b" "c"]

Options

`exclusive`	Make checkboxes exclusive. I mean, when you check a checkbox in the set, others are unchecked, so zero checked or one checked. This is a JavaScript gimmick, so JavaScript on client side is needed.
`default:(num)`	Pre-checked options. The integer following `default:` is the position in the order of items. 1 is the first one. If you want to make two or more items selected, joint integers with _(underbar), as `default:1_2_3`.
`id:`(id)	`id` attribute value of the `span` element surrounding checkboxes.
`class:`(class)	`class` attribute value of the `span` element surrounding checkboxes. To set two or more classes, you can use multiple `class:` option, like `[checkbox your-checkbox class:y2008 class:m01 class:d01]`.

Values

A tag with this type can accept multiple values. The values are used as checkbox values.

Tags for radio buttons (`radio`)

Description

A tag with radio type is replaced by a set of radio buttons.

Example

[radio your-radio "a" "b" "c"]

Options

`default:(num)`	Pre-checked options. The integer following `default:` is the position in the order of items. 1 is the first one.
`id:`(id)	`id` attribute value of the `span` element surrounding radio buttons.
`class:`(class)	`class` attribute value of the `span` element surrounding radio buttons. To set two or more classes, you can use multiple `class:` option, like `[radio your-radio class:y2008 class:m01 class:d01]`.

Values

A tag with this type can accept multiple values. The values are used as radio button values.

Tags for CAPTCHA image (`captchac`)

Description

A tag with captchac type is replaced by a CAPTCHA image. See also how to use CAPTCHA.

Example

[captchac your-captcha size:s fg:#ffffff bg:#000000]

Options

`size:(sml)`	Image size. Only `size:s` (60×20), `size:m` (72×24) and `size:l` (84×28) are available.
`fg:#`(hex)	Foreground color of the CAPTCHA image. Put RGB color code in hex format after `fg:#` as `fg:#ff0000`
`bg:#`(hex)	Background color of the CAPTCHA image. Put RGB color code in hex format after `bg:#` as `bg:#ff0000`
`id:`(id)	`id` attribute value of the `img` element for the CAPTCHA image.
`class:`(class)	`class` attribute value of the `img` element for the CAPTCHA image. To set two or more classes, you can use multiple `class:` option, like `[captchac your-captcha class:y2008 class:m01 class:d01]`.

Values

A tag with this type can not accept values.

Tags for CAPTCHA text field (`captchar`)

Description

A tag with captchar type is replaced by a CAPTCHA text input field. See also how to use CAPTCHA.

Example

[captchar your-captcha 40/100]

Options

(size)`/`(maxlength)	Field size and max length. You can omit one of them, like `40/` or `/100`.
`id:`(id)	`id` attribute value of the `input` element.
`class:`(class)	`class` attribute value of the `input` element. To set two or more classes, you can use multiple `class:` option, like `[captchar your-captcha class:y2008 class:m01 class:d01]`.

Values

A tag with this type can accept only one value and the value is used as default input value.

Tags Contact Form 7, Contact Form 7 Tip

102 replies on “Contact Form 7 tag syntax”

@Dominic
use this – onblur=’if (this.value == “”) {this.value = “Enter your email address”;}’ onfocus=’if (this.value == “Enter your email address”) {this.value = “”;}’

Great plugin thanks, is there any way to style the form?

Thanks in advance.

Chris, you can do it with CSS stylesheets.

Is there any way to use an image instead of a submit button?

Its Great plugin. Thx dude.. Good Job! I was use it.

A quick way to get a button for your submit is to style it in. This is not an ideal solution, but try making a class on your p tag, like this.

[submit ” “]

Then style wpcf7send like this.

.wpcf7send input {
border:none;
background-image:url(images/btn_send_comments.gif);
width:224px;
height:31px;
}

You can see mine in action here.

http://www.ianhoar.com/contact/

Lets try that again. Here’s the HTML from the contact form tool.

<p class="wpcf7send">[submit " "]</p>

I’m a bit unclear with your instructions in the FAQ, I’m receiving an email with all of my codes in the form that i would like to be displayed in the email in order. What exactly am I doing wrong?

here’s what my email looks like:
[email* your-email] [text* PhoneNumber/30] [text* addresse1/100] [text addresse2/100] [text State/3] [text Zip/3] [radio injuries “Yes” “No”] [text Cardio/10] [textarea your-message/10]

Great plugin. I used it on site of one of my clients.

Rafael, In the Mail section, you need only the names of tags (the second parameter in the tag used within the Form section), so the correct code you should enter in the Mail Body is like this:

[your-email]
[PhoneNumber]
[addresse1]
[addresse2]
[State]
[Zip]
[injuries]
[Cardio]
[your-message]

Hi
I am just wondering if there is a way to make the radio button list vertically instead of horizontally. Sometimes the items that I want put in the list are bigger, other are smaller, and what happen is something like this:

O option a O option b

I want something like this
O option a
O option b

If somebody knows, please let me know

Hello there,

I’m using your plugin very much, but i’m wondering how i could get my checkboxes below eachother instead of all right after eachother.
The look like this now: . A . B . C . D
I want them like:
. option A
. option B
. option C
. option D

Thankyou!

Hi,

Great contact plugin. I want to use the checkbox as an active part of the contact enquiry. I’m trying to work out how to get the checked boxes by the enquirer to arrive with the submitted e-mail. Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Using CF7 on a page dedicated to it works nicely and the fields seem formattable; but, there is a difference between browser realisations. FF shows narrower than IE7, for instance.

Is this covered elsewhere? Or by a workaround?

Thanks

Hi the best form i’ve found.. thanks.. just wondering how to get the form to be more inline like your one. the form puts a tag after the text automatically?
cheers

This is an awesome plug-in!

I wanted to know if there’s a way to send the “successfully completed form” to a specific “success page”.

Thanks for any insight!

Does anyone know the string or code you place in the e-mail part of the form builder to send the checkbox selections in the email when submit is clicked?

Thanks,
Bill

I’ve tried every variation I think think of, using this code, and still does not send me the checkbox selection…

[checkbox your-checkbox “a” “b” “c”]

checkbox your-checkbox “a” “b” “c”

Anyone have any ideas?

Any way to set word wrap on a txtarea? Doesn’t seem to work, even when set as a class.

How can I set my own fields as required to contain input? I need this for drop-down menu’s, radio buttons, etc., not just name and email fields.

Any examples (explained in detail) will be greatly appreciated.

I like how you set up your contact field on this page. How do I add “Leave a Reply” on top of the contact form, also the ‘field’ description “Name (required), on the side of the field?

Thanks.

Very easy to work with but like several above regarding check boxes, I cannot figure out how to get my custom drop-down box results emailed to me. What do I have to type in the mail form to receive the user selection with my email? Any help is appreciated!

Hi,
Looking for similiar answers. I have Your Phone (required)
[text* your-Phone] in the form field and [your-phone] in mail field, but can’t get the phone # to appear in e-mail.

Additionally, is there a way to have the id attributes for the radio buttons appear in the e-mail so I know which answers are pertaining to which questions without having to go back and look? I’ve tried various ways and after 10 attempts, am here to seek help.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Dawn

Great plugin… Is there anyway to mail a custom field from the page/post on which the form appears? how about any of the other page elements i.e. tags, category, post title?

Any help is appreciated!

very good – thanks

I like your plugin a lot but I think FAQ for this plugin is very poor. It would be great if you can explain how to get List Menu or Check Box selected items to appear in Subject line.

Thanks

hi, love your plugin. im using it to create an online registration form. just curious, why not make an option for all the other input to be “required” ?

thanks

I have read all the FAQ’s, but I still don’t understand hwo to create a message with radio button values.

my radio button is as so
[radio Choices “Choice 1”]
[radio Choices “Choice 2”]

In my message area, I tried:
[Choices]

and:

[radio Choices]

and:

[radio Choices “Choice 1”]

None of these reply with the selection from the radio button. Can you please add a radio button example with all fields filled in correctly? Justa secreenshot would be helpful.

My problem was with separating the radio buttons.

[radio Choices “Choice 1”]
[radio Choices “Choice 2”]

so I needed it to be:
[radio Choices “Choice 1” “Choice 2”]

it’s almost a hack, cause you can separate the radio button groups, and they still select as a group. you can’t receive it in mail then though.

Having issues getting anything to show up in the page. This is what I have copy and pasted into the HTML WYSIWYG editor.

[contact-form 1 "Contact form 1"]

Contact Name (required)

[text* contact-name]

Email Address (required)

[email* email_address]

Phone Number

[text* phone_number]

Company (required)

[text* company_name]

Title (required)

[text* your_title]

URL

[text your_url]

[select IndustrySector include_blank id:industry “Healthcare” “Utilities” “Financial” “Distribution” “Retail” “E-commerce” “Shipping” “Other”]

[radio subscribe_email id:sub_email “Yes, please add me to your mailing list.”]

[submit “Send”]

Great Plugin. Thank you.
However I have some problems implementing a
textarea (used for collect an age) which validates only if the user enter a number. Could I use
regular expressions? How?

Thank you

Is there any way to allow the user to enter digits in the phone no text filed rather than text. Any check or ….

Great plugin, thanks. Is there a way I can add an additional address as a CC?

How can I change the submit button? thx

@krttqo
near the bottom of the ‘Form’ part of the screen, left side, look for something like this:
[submit “Submit”]

put whatever text you want into the quotes

When I click save on the form settings, I get this message “You do not have sufficient permissions to access this page.” Is there a setting I missed somewhere?

Great Plugin.

Suggestion: add option for hidden field

Adicionar uma função para adicionarmos campos hidden nos formulários.
opções para preencher com o IP address and userAgent

hi,

is there a way i can have the drop-down lists on the same row? meaning i want to have 3 drop-down lists in the same paragraph. Right now i get the after each one apart.

Anyone can help me?

thanks!

Hello,
I’d like the email be sent to a specific receiver selected by the drop down menu.
Is there a way to set a custom value=” for each ‘option’ item?

Thanks

Hi,

I’m having a problem with the phone field of my contact form. If I test it using the format (111) 111-1111 for the phone number, the phone # is sent to me without the area code. How can I fix this?

Thanks!