Form Control Sizing
With the default grid system that is inherent in Bootstrap, you can use the .span* system for sizing form controls. In addition to the span column-sizing method, you can also use a handful of classes that take a relative approach to sizing. If you want the input to act as a block-level element, you can add .input-block-level and it will be the full width of the container element.
<input class="input-block-level" type="text" placeholder=".input-block-level">
Relative input controls
In addition to using .span* for input sizing, you can also use a few different class names.
<!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <title>Bootstrap Tutorial</title> <link href="css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet"> </head> <body> <body> <input class="input-mini" type="text" placeholder=".input-mini"><br> <input class="input-small" type="text" placeholder=".input-small"><br> <input class="input-medium" type="text" placeholder=".input-medium"><br> <input class="input-large" type="text" placeholder=".input-large"><br> <input class="input-xlarge" type="text" placeholder=".input-xlarge"><br> <input class="input-xxlarge" type="text" placeholder=".input-xxlarge"> </body> </html>
Grid sizing
You can use any .span from .span1 to .span12 for form control sizing:
<input class="span1" type="text" placeholder=".span1"> <input class="span2" type="text" placeholder=".span2"> <input class="span3" type="text" placeholder=".span3"> <select class="span1"> ... </select> <select class="span2"> ... </select> <select class="span3"> ... </select>
If you want to use multiple inputs on a line, simply use the .controls-row modifier class to apply the proper spacing. It floats the inputs to collapse the white space; sets the correct margins; and, like the .row class, clears the float:
<div class="controls"> <input class="span5" type="text" placeholder=".span5"> </div> <div class="controls controls-row"> <input class="span4" type="text" placeholder=".span4"> <input class="span1" type="text" placeholder=".span1"> </div> ...
Uneditable text
If you want to present a form control without allowing the user to edit the input, simply add the class .uneditable-input:
<span class="input-xlarge uneditable-input">Some value here</span>
Form actions
When you place the form actions at the bottom of a .horizontal-form, the inputs will correctly line up with the floated form controls.
<div class="form-actions"> <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Save changes</button> <button type="button" class="btn">Cancel</button> </div>
Help text
Bootstrap form controls can have either block or inline text that flows with the inputs.
<input type="text"><span class="help-inline">Inline help text</span>
To add a full width block of content, use the .help-block after the <input>
<input type="text"> <span class="help-block"> A longer block of help text that breaks onto a new line and may extend beyond one line. </span>