How to retrieve data from form published to a network folder? - InfoPath Dev
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How to retrieve data from form published to a network folder?

Last post 06-04-2009 12:10 PM by PPBWH. 5 replies.
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  • 06-02-2009 12:11 PM

    • PPBWH
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    • Joined on 06-02-2009
    • Posts 8

    How to retrieve data from form published to a network folder?

    I recently discovered MS Infopath and have spent several days tring to learn it and design a form that will populate an Access or Excel table. I have encountered some hurdles that I need help with:

    1) I have a form designed that has a data connection to an Access database in a shared network folder. My purpose for this is that when someone fills out the InfoPath form, the data will go into the Access database. But when I fill out the form, this does not work???

    2) When I go to Tools, and then Submitting Forms, online tutorials tell me that I should have a "Submit To: Access Database" option, but I do not have this, even though my form has the data connection to the Access database in the shared network folder. Am I doing something wrong or can you not directly submit data from an InfoPath form (on a shared file area) into an Access database?

    So in conclusion, I made a form, and published the form to a shared file area. When I fill out the form it asks if you want to save the data, where I clicked yes, but this just saves the form as a .xml document in the same folder. I can also get the form data as an email.

    But it does not do me any good to see the form data in a .xml or email document.....how can I get data into an Access or Excel table?

     

    Thanks.

  • 06-02-2009 03:01 PM In reply to

    Re: How to retrieve data from form published to a network folder?

    Hi --

    To create a form that submits to an Access (or SQL) database, you have to select that database when you first create the form (in the Based On section of the dialog box).

    However, there are various reasons why, even if you did this, submit may be disabled for your form. This information will be present in the last window of the database connection wizard, when you set up your initial connection, or when you walk through it again, from the Tools / Data Connections window (select Modify, and you can walk through the connection steps again).

    It is very easy to overlook this information. On the final screen, where you have the option of naming your data connection, there will be a checkbox you can use to enable submit. If that box is disabled, in the description of the data connection below, you'll find information on submit status, along with any reasons you aren't allowed to submit. The most common mistake is that the table you wish to build the form off of doesn't have primary keys set up on the table....

    Hope that helps!

    Hilary Stoupa

  • 06-03-2009 08:40 AM In reply to

    • PPBWH
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    • Joined on 06-02-2009
    • Posts 8

    Re: How to retrieve data from form published to a network folder?

    Thanks for the reply.

     I used "New From Data Connection" when first designing the form and connected it to an Access database in a network folder.

    When I go to Tools/Data Connections, one of the Connections shows that the form is connected to this database.

     But I still don't see the database option in the Submitting Options section. I setup the primary key in the Access database table after I had already made the initial connection between InfoPath and Access...is this a problem?

     Where is the Based On section of the dialog box, or is this the same as the New From Data Connection option?

     Two other newbie questions)

    Also, why does Infopath create an .xml file each time a survey is filled out? If we fill out 100 surveys, do we have to worry about atorage space for 100 .xml forms

    And are there free WebServices available that one can use if publishing form to a website?

  • 06-04-2009 11:32 AM In reply to

    Re: How to retrieve data from form published to a network folder?

    Select the data connection in Tools / Data Connections that is the connection to your Access Database. Click the Modify button. Walk through the Data connection wizard again. When you get to the last screen, where you can enter the name of the data connection, look for the Enable Submit checkbox. Is it disabled? If so, read all the information displayed below that check box. There will be a message explaining why Submit is disabled.

    Once you have your form set to submit to your database, you'll be able to set it to close on submit and the user won't have the option to save the xml file -- you can also set the form not to allow Save or Save As under Tools / Form Options. As far as the last question -- I'm afraid I don't understand it. Can you explain a bit more?

    Hilary Stoupa

  • 06-04-2009 11:44 AM In reply to

    • PPBWH
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    • Joined on 06-02-2009
    • Posts 8

    Re: How to retrieve data from form published to a network folder?

    Thanks for the reply. I will do what you suggested.

     The last question was about WebServices. Is a WebService just a server connection that you need to publish an InfoPath form to a website? Since I do not have any server/internet publishing priveleges at my organization, do I need to ask my IT department to see what WebService they use and if I can link it with InfoPath?

  • 06-04-2009 12:10 PM In reply to

    • PPBWH
    • Not Ranked
    • Joined on 06-02-2009
    • Posts 8

    Re: How to retrieve data from form published to a network folder?

    I did as you said and now its working, so Thank You.

    I could not submit to database earlier because multiple tables were being used.

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