Placeholder Examples

Available since Visforms Version 6.1.0.

A comprehensive, concrete example of using placeholders in a PDF template, showcasing all available placeholder options and formatting.

Note: Some of these features are part of the Visforms Subscription and are not included in the free Visforms version.

Platzhalter im HTML-Template

Visforms-Informationen

Form fields

Placeholder	Value
${ first }	My first name
${ last }	My last name
${ company }	My company
${ city }	My city
${ code }	My zip code
${ country }	Germany
${ phone }	+49 0123 123456
${ email }	email@server.com
${ message }	My message
${ select1 }	label-1, label-3, label-4
${ select2 }	label-3
${ date }	03/21/2026
${ number1 }	57550
${ calculate1 }	17755,6170

Form properties

Placeholder	Value
${ formid }	67
${ formtitle }	parameter-replacement

Data properties

Placeholder	Value
${ id }	30
${ created }	03/21/2026 10:20:02
${ created\|DATE }	03/21/2026
${ created_by }	436
${ created_by\|NAME }	joomla-administrator
${ modified }	03/27/2026 10:53:33
${ modified\|DATE }	03/27/2026
${ modified_by }	436
${ modified_by\|NAME }	joomla-administrator
${ ismfd }	1
${ ipaddress }	192.168.65.1
${ published }	1

Special placeholders

Placeholder	Value
${ currentdate }	03/30/2026
${ currentdate\|DATETIME }	03/30/2026 08:38:57

Form fields with placeholder options

Placeholder	Value
${ first }	My first name
${ first\|DISPLAYLABEL }	first
${ first\|DISPLAYLABELPLUSSPACE }	"first "
${ date }	03/21/2026
${ date\|DISPLAYLABEL }	date
${ date\|DISPLAYLABELPLUSSPACE }	"date "
${ select1 }	label-1, label-3, label-4
${ select1\|DISPLAYLABEL }	select1
${ select1\|DISPLAYLABELPLUSSPACE }	"select1 "
${ select1\|DISPLAYOPTIONLABEL }	label-1, label-3, label-4
${ select1\|DISPLAYOPTIONLABELASLIST }	label-1 label-3 label-4
${ select1\|DISPLAYOPTIONVALUE }	value-1, value-3, value-4
${ select1\|DISPLAYOPTIONVALUEASLIST }	value-1 value-3 value-4
${ select2 }	label-3
${ select2\|DISPLAYLABEL }	select2
${ select2\|DISPLAYLABELPLUSSPACE }	"select2 "
${ select2\|DISPLAYOPTIONLABEL }	label-3
${ select2\|DISPLAYOPTIONVALUE }	value-3

Visforms information with FORMAT options

Form fields

Placeholder	Value
${ first }	My first name
${ first\|FORMAT\|(print)This is my entry: ' %s ' }	This is my entry: 'My first name'
${ date }	03/21/2026
${ date\|FORMAT\|(date)Y/m/d H:i:s }	2026/03/21 06:38:57
${ date\|FORMAT\|(date)Y/m/d }	2026/03/21
${ number1 }	57550
${ number1\|FORMAT\|(number)2., }	57,550.00
${ number1\|FORMAT\|(number)4 x }	57#550 000
${ number1\|FORMAT\|(float)%x } (Hexadecimal lowercase)	e0ce
${ number1\|FORMAT\|(float)%X } (Hexadecimal uppercase)	E0CE
${ number1\|FORMAT\|(float)%o } (Octal number)	160316
${ number1\|FORMAT\|(float)%E } (Scientific notation uppercase)	5.755000E+4
${ number1\|FORMAT\|(float)%e } (Scientific notation lowercase)	5.755000e+4
${ calculate1 }	17755,6170
${ calculate1\|FORMAT\|(number)2., }	17,755.62
${ calculate1\|FORMAT\|(print)%s million bicycles }	17755,6170 million bicycles
${ calculate1\|FORMAT\|(float)%012.2f million bicycles }	000017755.62 million bicycles
${ calculate1\|FORMAT\|(float)%x }	455b
${ calculate1\|FORMAT\|(float)%X }	455B
${ currentdate\|FORMAT\|(date)Y/m/d H:i:s }	03/30/2026

DISPLAY LABEL

Placeholder	Value
${ first }	My first name
${ first\|DISPLAYLABEL }	"first"
${ first\|DISPLAYLABEL\|(print)%s --> }	"first --> "
${ first\|DISPLAYLABEL\|(print)>> %s: }	">> first: "
${ first\|DISPLAYLABEL\|(print) Measurement ( %s ) = }	" Measurement ( first ) = "

Form properties

Placeholder	Value
${ formid }	67
${ formid }	67
${ formid\|FORMAT\|(print)This is my formid: ' %s ' }	This is my formid: ' 67 '
${ formid\|FORMAT\|(number)2., }	67.00
${ formid\|FORMAT\|(float)This is my formid: ' %s ' }	This is my formid: ' 000000067.00 '
${ formid\|FORMAT\|(float)%x } (Hexadecimal lowercase) }	43
${ formid\|FORMAT\|(float)%e } (Scientific notation lowercase) }	6.700000e+1
${ formtitle }	parameter-replacement
${ formtitle\|FORMAT\|(print)This is the form title: ' %s ' }	The form title: ' parameter-replacement '

Data properties

Placeholder	Value
${ id }	30
${ id\|FORMAT\|(print)This is my ID: ' %s ' }	This is my ID: ' 30 '
${ id\|FORMAT\|(number)2., }	30.00
${ id\|FORMAT\|(float)This is my ID: ' %s ' }	This is my ID: ' 000000030.00 '
${ id\|FORMAT\|(float)%x } (Hexadecimal lowercase) }	1e
${ id\|FORMAT\|(float)%e } (Scientific notation lowercase) }	3.000000e+1
${ created }	03/21/2026 10:20:02
${ created\|FORMAT\|(date)Y/m/d H:i:s }	2026/03/30 06:38:57
${ created_by }	436
${ created_by\|NAME }	joomla-administrator
${ created_by\|FORMAT\|(print)This is my username: ' %s ' }	This is my username: ' joomla-administrator '
${ published }	1
${ published\|FORMAT\|(print)Recordset published: ' %s ' }	Recordset published: ' 1 '

Joomla information

Joomla User object

Placeholder	Value
${ user:id }	436
${ user:name }	joomla-administrator
${ user:username }	joomla-administrator
${ user:email }	administrator@server.com
${ user:sendEmail }	0
${ user:registerDate }	2021-11-19 09:17:01
${ user:lastvisitDate }	2026-03-30 06:37:48
${ user:params }	{"admin_style":"","admin_language":"","language":"","editor":"none","timezone":"","a11y_mono":"0","a11y_contrast":"0","a11y_highlight":"0","a11y_font":"0","colorScheme":"","allowTourAutoStart":""}
${ user:groups }	8

Joomla input object

Placeholder	Value
${ input:id }	41
${ input:task }
${ input:option }	com_visforms
${ input:view }	visrenderpdf
${ input:PHPSESSID }	8f44a4817daeb6f224cb814fa30612e6
${ input:format }	raw
${ input:fid }	67
${ input:did }	30
${ input:start }	1
${ input:limit }	1
${ input:fulordering }	a.idASC
${ input:osColorScheme }	dark

Joomla information with FORMAT options

Joomla User object

Placeholder	Value
${ user:id }	436
${ user:id\|FORMAT\|(print)My user ID is ' %s ' }	My user ID is '436 '
${ user:id\|FORMAT\|(number)2., }	436.00
${ user:id\|FORMAT\|(float)My user ID is ' %s ' }	My user ID is '000000436.00 '
${ user:id\|FORMAT\|(float)%x } (Hexadecimal lowercase) }	1b4
${ user:id\|FORMAT\|(float)%e } (Scientific notation lowercase) }	4.360000e+2
${ user:registerDate }	2021-11-19 09:17:01
${ user:registerDate\|FORMAT\|(date)Y/m/d H:i:s }	2021/11/19 09:17:01
${ user:lastvisitDate }	2026-03-30 06:37:48
${ user:lastvisitDate \|FORMAT\|(date)Y m d H:i }	2026 03 30 06:37

Joomla input object

Placeholder	Value
${ input:id }	41
${ input:id\|FORMAT\|(print)My input ID is ' %s ' }	My input ID is ' 41 '
${ input:id\|FORMAT\|(number)2., }	41.00
${ input:id\|FORMAT\|(float)My input ID is ' %s ' }	My input ID is ' 000000041.00 '
${ input:id\|FORMAT\|(float)%x } (Hexadecimal lowercase) }	29
${ input:id\|FORMAT\|(float)%e } (Scientific notation lowercase) }	4.100000e+1
${ input:PHPSESSID\|FORMAT\|(print)My PHPSESSID: ' %s ' }	My PHPSESSID: ' 8f44a4817daeb6f224cb814fa30612e6 '

Placeholders in Secondary SQL Statements

Visforms Information

Form Fields

Note: Direct use of the form fields is not possible in the secondary SQL statements and is therefore removed.

SQL Select	Value
select '${ first }'
select '${ last }'
select '${ company }'
select '${ city }'
select '${ code }'
select '${ country }'
select '${ email }'
select '${ select1 }'

Form fields: item

SQL Select	Value
select '${ item:first }'	My first name
select '${ item:last }'	My last name
select '${ item:company }'	My company
select '${ item:city }'	My city
select '${ item:code }'	My zip code
select '${ item:country }'	Germany
select '${ item:email }'	email@server.com
select '${ item:select1 }'	label-1, label-3, label-4

Form Properties

Note: Using form properties in the secondary SQL statements is not possible and will be removed.

SQL Select	Value
select '${formid }'
select '${ formtitle }'

Joomla Object Information

Joomla User object placeholder

SQL Select	Value
select '${ user:id }'	436
select '${ user:name }'	joomla-administrator
select '${ user:username }'	joomla-administrator
select '${ user:email }'	administrator@server.com
select '${ user:sendEmail }'	0
select '${ user:registerDate }'	2021-11-19 09:17:01
select '${ user:lastvisitDate }'	2026-03-30 06:37:48
select '${ user:params }'	{"admin_style":"","admin_language":"","language":"","editor":"none","timezone":"","a11y_mono":"0","a11y_contrast":"0","a11y_highlight":"0","a11y_font":"0","colorScheme":"","allowTourAutoStart":""}
select '${ user:groups }'	8

Placeholder of the input object

SQL Select	Value
select '${ input:id }'	41
select '${ input:task }'
select '${ input:option }'	com_visforms
select '${ input:view }'	visrenderpdf
select '${ input:PHPSESSID }'	8f44a4817daeb6f224cb814fa30612e6
select '${ input:format }'	raw
select '${ input:fid }'	67
select '${ input:did }'	30
select '${ input:start }'	1
select '${ input:limit }'	1
select '${ input:fulordering }'	a.idASC
select '${ input:osColorScheme }'	dark

Item Data Properties

Note: The use of wildcard options is not possible in the secondary SQL statements and will be ignored.

SQL Select	Value
select '${ item:id }'	30
select '${ item:created }'	2026-03-21 09:20:02
select '${ item:created\|DATE }'	2026-03-21 09:20:02
select '${ item:created_by }'	436
select '${ item:created_by\|NAME }'	436
select '${ item:modified }'	2026-03-27 09:53:33
select '${ item:modified\|DATE }'	2026-03-27 09:53:33
select '${ item:modified_by }'	436
select '${ item:modified_by\|NAME }'	436
select '${ item:ismfd }'	1
select '${ item:ipaddress }'	192.168.65.1

Placeholder Examples

Placeholder Examples