InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

re: InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

DasGalloway — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 16:27:21 GMT

Thanks Patrick! A good overview of data connections, and the definitions to distinguish between XML forms and XSN form templates will be especially useful to those just beginning to use Infopath.

re: InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

frankl — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:02:25 GMT

Hello Patrick,

Is it possible to create a template for a form that uses a RELATIVE url to a data source.

In your example:

I have several sites with a formlibrary to which I want to publish the form. Each site has it's own list/datasource of programming languages.

(actually I have a Site template that should contain the form and secondairy datasource)

re: InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

Nick Dallett — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 23:23:20 GMT

There is no way to do this without writing code. The two methods of doing this with code are:

1. set up the connection as a Web service call to the lists web service on SharePoint. Use custom code in your form template to set the URL of the Web service at runtime based on the URL the form was opened from, and then execute the Web service connection.

2. When the form is hosted in the XmlFormView control, either in a client application or on MOSS, you can set up your data connections to specify that a portion of the serviceURL of the Web service can be dynamically replaced at runtime. This requires adding an element to the extensions section of manifest.xsf:

<xsf:extensions>

<xsf:extension name="SolutionDefinitionExtensions">

<xsf2:solutionDefinition compatibility="RICHCLIENT REACH" hash="...">

<xsf2:dataConnections>

<xsf2:webServiceAdapterExt ref="ws" trackDataSetChanges="yes">

<xsf2:relativeQuery replace="http://janky/poltergeist/floop" />

</xsf2:webServiceAdapterExt>

</xsf2:dataConnections>

</xsf2:solutionDefinition>

</xsf:extension>

</xsf:extensions>

The xsf:relativeQuery element specifies a substring of the ServiceURL which will be replaced at runtime by the value of the DataConnectionBaseUrl property on the XmlFormView control. Your hosting page or hosting application needs to set the DataConnectionBaseUrl property before the form is loaded.

This is difficult to do for a SharePoint list, since we use the GUID of the list, rather than the URL, to identify the list to query. This may change in a future version.

Are you looking for the ability to query relative to the SharePoint site, or the SharePoint site collection? Knowing this would help us understand how best to implement the relative URL functionality if we add it in a future release.

re: InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

gillrajb — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:21:43 GMT

Hi I have set up a access database on a doc library and a infopath form based on this db published to a nearby folder. When I go to fill out the form, and it opens, I hit submit. But then it gives me a JET DB initilization form with login of admin and a blank pass. When I hit ok, it gives me a error saying

infopath The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot open the file '\\207.245.47.37\sites\Safety_and_Training\Experimental\db1.mdb'. It is already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission to view its data.

For some reason, once or twice its randomly been able to submit succcessfully but I havnt been able to reproduce the situation. Are there files that i am missing? any permissions that I need to check? The access database only has a admin and no password account. PLEASE HELP ME ive been working on this for ages! If you know a solid workaround with little programming let me know.

re: InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

engy_mamdouh — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:45:51 GMT

I need to make a form that should work in the browser so i lost many control options and I need to get records from the DB according to the logged user. How to be able to bind non repeating controls to datasource ???? Any Guidance would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

re: InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

sunshyne17 — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 22:13:58 GMT

Can anyone help me?

New to this blog. I have an infopath form tied to an access database. Only thing is, any time I add a control, it forces me to bind it to the database. Most times, this is ok. other times, I am trying to create the optional sections.

for example:

O single day event

O multi-day event

How do i unbind the radio buttons above, from the database?

re: InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

chenhuyr — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:58:52 GMT

I need some help for a project I am doing.

I am using infopath2007 with an Access2007 database.

I have 3 tables

1)tblInformation (Name, ID, startdate...) //non-repeating

2)tblFunding (ID, Participants, Amount...) //repeating

3)tblApproval (ID, Name, Position, Status...) //repeating

I want all these related by ID in a One to Many relationship.

(Unfortunately, Infopath wont let me submit data if fund and approve dont have primary keys so I made a unique index# for each table and related those aswell.)

tblInformation -1:M- tblFunding

tblInformation -1:M- tblApproval

I have 1 nonrepeating section for Info and 2 repeating sections for funding and approval.

Problem: When I try to submit with a section repeated more than once i get a 'Empty row cannot be inserted. Row must have at least one column value set.'

I assume this is happening

tblInfo | tblFunding | tblApproval

stuff | stuff | stuff

null(error) | cant submit more stuff

^because i only enter tblInfo once.

Im not sure how to get around this issue because Infopath and Access have so many restrictions. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

SharePoint InfoPath

Mirrored Blogs — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:01:10 GMT

Body: I've been getting some curly questions around InfoPath of late due to our organisation already

re: InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

Brian111 — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 17:19:03 GMT

We have a MOSS site set up for a client, it has a sub site for each of their clients and then another site below client for each project. At the project level there is an infopath form which has data connections to lists at both the other levels. Our client needs to be able to set up new projects and clients at these levels, we are allowing this using templates. This does however mean the data connections on the infopath form need to be relative. Could you elaborate on what you have written above as to the best wayt this could be achieved please ?

Thanks

re: InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

prarthana — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:09:57 GMT

Hi,

I have two database connections in my infopath form. However, since there is a many-to-one relation between the tables, I cannot submit data through Infopath.

I am trying to submit data through code but its not working. Can someone please help?

Thanx...

re: InfoPath Data Connections: Part 1

lvirden — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:49:05 GMT

Hello!

I am using InfoPath 2007. When I set up a data connection to receive data from a SharePoint list, I have run into a restriction that I've not seen documented anywhere, and so I wonder if there is a way to do what I need.

The SharePoint list I am wanting to use has a single column, type people or grep, which has the "allow multiple selections" property set. This is so that the column can contain 1 to many people selected for that particular row, without having to create a limiting number of columns.

When I try to create the data connection in InfoPath 2007, the column is not displayed as one that can be returned.

Once I turn off the "multiple selection" property, the column becomes available.

Is there some alternative method to accessing the data?

If not, I sure hope this is in the works for a near future patch release...