Form Inputs

Form inputs allow you to gather structured information from users before starting a conversation with your agent. By defining inputs directly in your agent's system prompt or user prompt using a special syntax, you can create dynamic, interactive forms that capture exactly the information your agent needs.

Available Input Types

Gen8 provides a comprehensive set of input types to handle different data collection needs:

Type	Syntax	Description	Options
Textfield	{{textfield;...}}	Single-line text input	label, name, description, placeholder, suggestions, default, required
Textarea	{{textarea;...}}	Multi-line text input	label, name, description, placeholder, suggestions, default, required
Dropdown	{{dropdown;...}}	Select from a list	label, name, description, options, default, required
Radio	{{radio;...}}	Single selection from visible options	label, name, description, options, default, required
Pick	{{pick;...}}	Button-style selection	label, name, description, options, default, required
Checkbox	{{checkbox;...}}	True/false toggle	label, name, description, true, false, default, required
Toggle	{{toggle;...}}	Switch-style true/false	label, name, description, true, false, default, required
Text	{{text;...}}	Display-only text (no input)	label, description, bold
Prompt	{{prompt;...}}	Hidden prompt text (conditional)	value
If	{{if;...}}	Start conditional block	condition expression (e.g., fieldName=value)
EndIf	{{endif}}	End conditional block	none

---

Common Options

Most input types share these configuration options:

Option	Description	Example
label	Display name shown to users	label=Your Name
name	Internal identifier used for conditions and references	name=userName
description	Help text displayed below the field	description=Enter your full name
default	Pre-filled value	default=John
required	Makes the field mandatory	required=true

---

Input Type Details

Text Inputs

Textfield and Textarea inputs accept free-form text from users.

Additional options for text inputs:

Option	Description	Example
placeholder	Ghost text shown when empty	placeholder=Enter text here...
suggestions	Quick-fill buttons below the field	suggestions={"Option A";"Option B"}

{{textfield;label=Topic;name=topic;placeholder=Enter your topic;required=true}}

{{textarea;label=Additional Context;name=context;description=Provide any extra information}}

Selection Inputs

Dropdown, Radio, and Pick inputs let users choose from predefined options.

Option	Description	Example
options	List of choices with values and labels	options={value1=Label 1;value2=Label 2}

The difference between these types is visual: dropdowns collapse into a menu, radio buttons show all options with selection circles, and pick buttons display as clickable button choices.

{{dropdown;label=Tone;name=tone;options={formal=Formal;casual=Casual;professional=Professional};default=professional}}

{{radio;label=Output Length;name=length;options={short=Short;medium=Medium;long=Long}}}

{{pick;label=Priority;name=priority;options={low=Low;medium=Medium;high=High}}}

Boolean Inputs

Checkbox and Toggle inputs capture yes/no decisions and insert different text into the prompt based on the user's choice.

Option	Description	Example
true	Text inserted when checked/enabled	true=Please include practical examples.
false	Text inserted when unchecked/disabled	false=No examples needed.

{{checkbox;label=Include Examples;name=includeExamples;true=Please include practical examples.;false=}}

When the user checks this box, "Please include practical examples." appears in the prompt. When unchecked, nothing is inserted (empty string).

Display Text

The Text type displays information to users without collecting input. It's useful for section headers, instructions, or important notices.

Option	Description	Example
bold	Makes the text bold	bold=true

{{text;label=Important Notice;description=Please review all fields before submitting.;bold=true}}

Hidden Prompts

The Prompt type includes text in the AI prompt without showing it to users. Combined with conditions, you can dynamically include or exclude instructions.

{{if;advancedMode=true}}
{{prompt|Include detailed technical specifications only for advanced users.}}
{{endif}}

---

Conditional Logic with If/EndIf

For more complex forms, use {{if;...}} and {{endif}} blocks to conditionally show or hide entire sections of inputs based on user selections.

Basic Syntax

{{if;fieldName=value}}
  ... inputs and text shown when condition is true ...
{{endif}}

How It Works

The if block evaluates conditions based on other form input values. When the condition is met, everything between {{if;...}} and {{endif}} is shown to the user and included in the prompt. When the condition is not met, that entire section is hidden.

Condition Operators

Operator	Description	Example
=	Equals	topic=technical
!=	Not equals	topic!=personal
>	Greater than	count>5
<	Less than	count<10
>=	Greater than or equal	priority>=medium
<=	Less than or equal	priority<=low

Multiple Conditions

Combine conditions using & (AND) or ; (OR):

{{if;category=business&priority=high}}
  {{textarea;label=Urgent Details;name=urgentDetails;required=true}}
{{endif}}

Nested Conditions

You can nest if blocks for complex logic:

{{dropdown;label=Service Type;name=serviceType;options={basic=Basic;premium=Premium;enterprise=Enterprise}}}

{{if;serviceType=premium}}
  {{checkbox;label=Add Priority Support;name=prioritySupport}}
  
  {{if;prioritySupport=true}}
    {{textfield;label=Preferred Contact Time;name=contactTime}}
  {{endif}}
{{endif}}

{{if;serviceType=enterprise}}
  {{textarea;label=Custom Requirements;name=customReqs;required=true}}
  {{textfield;label=Account Manager;name=accountManager}}
{{endif}}

Practical Example

Here's a complete example showing conditional logic in action:

You are a helpful assistant.

{{dropdown;label=Request Type;name=requestType;options={question=Question;feedback=Feedback;support=Support Request}}}

{{if;requestType=question}}
{{textfield;label=Your Question;name=question;required=true}}
{{endif}}

{{if;requestType=feedback}}
{{dropdown;label=Feedback Type;name=feedbackType;options={positive=Positive;suggestion=Suggestion;complaint=Complaint}}}
{{textarea;label=Your Feedback;name=feedback;required=true}}
{{endif}}

{{if;requestType=support}}
{{textfield;label=Issue Summary;name=issueSummary;required=true}}
{{dropdown;label=Severity;name=severity;options={low=Low;medium=Medium;high=High;critical=Critical}}}
{{textarea;label=Steps to Reproduce;name=steps}}

{{if;severity=critical}}
{{textfield;label=Emergency Contact;name=emergencyContact;required=true}}
{{prompt;This is a critical issue. Prioritize resolution and provide immediate assistance.}}
{{endif}}
{{endif}}

---

How Form Inputs Work

When a user starts a conversation with an agent that has form inputs:

1. The form is rendered based on your input definitions
2. Conditional sections show/hide as users fill in fields
3. Users complete the required fields and submit
4. All {{...}} placeholders are replaced with the entered values
5. The resolved prompt (with conditions evaluated) is sent to the AI

For checkbox and toggle inputs, the true or false text value is inserted based on the user's selection. For conditional blocks, sections where conditions aren't met are removed entirely from the final prompt.

---

Linking to Snippets

Form inputs can be connected to Snippets for automatic pre-filling. This is especially useful for frequently-used information like user names, company details, or project settings.

To link an input to a snippet:

1. Click the snippet icon (🔗) next to any input in the form editor
2. Select an existing snippet or create a new one
3. The field automatically fills with the snippet's current value

Users can still edit the pre-filled value before submitting if needed.

Auto-Filling via Query Parameters

When sharing a public agent link, you can pre-fill form inputs using a query parameter. This allows you to automatically set values for form fields without requiring user input.

To use query parameters for auto-filling, you must provide a single inputs parameter containing a Base64-encoded JSON array of string values. The values must correspond to the form fields in the order they appear in your template.

How to construct the URL

1. Create an array of values for your fields in order: ["JavaScript", "John"]
2. Convert the array to a JSON string: '["JavaScript","John"]'
3. Base64 encode the string: WyJKYXZhU2NyaXB0IiwiSm9obiJd
4. Append it to the URL as the inputs parameter:

https://app.gen8.ai/public/{tokenId}/{templateId}?inputs=WyJKYXZhU2NyaXB0IiwiSm9obiJd

This URL will pre-fill the first form field with "JavaScript" and the second field with "John". Users can still edit these values before submitting their form.

Note: The values are applied by index (order), not by field name. Ensure your array matches the exact order of inputs in your agent definition.