You don't need to specify the runmode directly because CGI::FormBuilder can handle that for you if you set keepextras option to true. In this case, the runmode will be automatically put in a hidden field since you usually don't specify it in the form as user-filled in fields. When you submit the button, your CGI::Application-based program will recognize the runmode sent by the form. If you have to set it manually, just use the same option, or the corresponding method. You also have to initiate the value for the CGI parameter of the runmode (default is rm).

use strict;
use warnings;
use base 'CGI::Application';
use CGI::FormBuilder;

main->new->run; # emulated for example purpose

sub setup {
    my $self = shift;
    $self->start_mode('create_form');
    $self->run_modes([qw(create_form list)]);
}

sub create_form {
    my $self = shift;
    my @fields = qw(name age);
    my $cgi = $self->query;

    my $form = CGI::FormBuilder->new(
        fields => \@fields,
        params => $cgi,
        keepextras => 1,
    );

    # or, instead of using the keepextras option
    # you call the method with the same name
    # $form->keepextras(1);

    # push onto the CGI parameter stack
    $cgi->param($self->mode_param => $self->get_current_runmode);
    # UPDATE: change hardcoded "rm" to method call

    print $form->submitted && $form->validated
        ? $form->confirm
        : $form->render;
}
[download]

$ perl cfb.pl
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1


<!-- Generated by CGI::FormBuilder v3.03 available from www.formbuilde
+r.org -->
<form action="cfb.pl" method="get">
<div>
<input id="_submitted" name="_submitted" type="hidden" value="1" /><in
+put id="rm" name="rm" type="hidden" value="create_form" />
<table>
<tr valign="top">
  <td>Name</td>
  <td><input id="name" name="name" type="text" /></td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top">
  <td>Age</td>
  <td><input id="age" name="age" type="text" /></td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top">
  <td align="center" colspan="2"><input id="_submit" name="_submit" ty
+pe="submit" value="Submit" /></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</form>
[download]

Could you post what you have tried? How is your CGI::Application configured and how are you sending it the run mode?

I understand your pain. When I started using CGI::Application, I thought the whole thing was a big messy sham.
Today, coding a webapp without it seems idotic to me- personally.

Initially I was under the misunderstanding that the module was smarter then it really was. That somehow it magically kept track of what the next runmode was.

As for myself, all my runmodes do one of two things when they end, they either

• spit out a complete web page and offer the client a set of choices for 'next' runmode..
• Or, they redirect or they forward to another runmode explicitly.

As for the form..

Check that your form is sending the next runmode as argument.

This form is telling that the next runmode is 'doit'

<form method="POST">
<input type="text" name="last_name" value="">
<input type="hidden" name="rm" value="doit">
<input type="submit" value="submit">
</form>
[download]

With the following, I've had problems in different browser clients:

<form action="?rm=doit">
<input type="text" name="last_name" value="">
<input type="submit" value="submit">
</form>
[download]

This example does not tell the web app what the next runmode is

<form>
<input type="text" name="last_name" value="">
<input type="submit" value="submit">
</form>
[download]