InfoPath Dev

hi guys im new on the forum and new to infopath so hopefully this is a simple one for you guys...first let me start with .. im making this form for my company im in the army and trying to make life a little easier. ultimatly this form will be on a shared drive. simple as it might have sound to me at the time i was going to make a form and connect it to a database and save it on a shared drive so people could updated there own personal data. well i got it all figured out that i can submit the data but when that same person goes to update the form it creates another record of that person..so i decided id just add a button that would allow a user to input there first and last name click the button and it would pull up there record...sounded easy till i searched for 2 days and to no avail..im not a big programming junkie yet although thats what im in college for atm but anyhow i tried some coding only to find i dunno how to replace what was needed and still not sure if that was the proper code or thing to do to make what i want to work....work

 thanks for anything in advance

Hi, and welcome --

Is your form based off your database? That is, when you created it, did you select 'Database' under Based on in the Design a new window?

If so, your data source will show query fields and data fields. You can pull over the query fields for first and last name, and then add a button that has for a rule 'Query using a data connection' and set that to your main data connection.

Here is a link to an Office Online tutorial -- walking through it might help you with the basics...

 well, thank you for the reply first off...secondly yes it is off of a database i do not know what "and then add a button that has for a rule query using a data connection" means cause when i set the button as query it just says query so im not sure what it is even query..ing....still confused a bit i guess :( thanks again in advance !!

Have you added rules to the button? To add rules to a button, you can right click the button while in design mode and select Button Properties. In the properties window is another button that says Rules. Click that. Then click Add to add a rule. Give the rule a name. Then, add an action by clicking Add Action. Under Action, select Query using a data connection. Your data connection is probably called 'Main Data Connection'.

Next, be sure that the 'Last Name' and 'First Name' fields you have on the form are connected to the respective query data fields in the main data source. In the Data Source Task Pane, look in the folder that says 'query'. Find the Last Name and First Name fields, and drag them onto the form. In preview, fill out the query fields, and then click your button, see if you get what you'd expect back...

 this is kind of an idea of what im looking for...thanks a ton i did get it to kinda pull up something...it gave similar names but didnt complete the fields as i was hoping for well it did but it stayed stuck on one record...looking to not have all those repeating fields just a normal looking form that i can put a first and last name into and hit submit or something and it populate the form with the rest of the info from the database that goes with that first and last name

Do you mind posting your template? I know I can't preview it, cause I don't have your DB, but I'd like to see what you have your fields bound to, and your general structure at this point.

 i would actually send you both files if you like so you can see it better? im not really sure what else you mean to post the template to show you what i mean

 this is the top half of the form .. there is still a few entries to add...roughly 15 or so its ALOT of info on a single person so there is always reason to edit the record but would like to do it from the form rather then the database but i want it to look as i have it now rather then the ugly boxes with the lines and the multiple records showing at a time..thanks a ton for all your help thus far and any i may recieve :)

and with an email address or something else i can send you both things since its still in the dev stage and all there isnt really any major information only snipets of names and random words to fill spaces

It looks like you are on your way to getting it the way you want, is that correct? If you want to post your form, in your reply, under the Options tab, you can add a file.

 this is what i have for the form :)

*bump*

 hello all im trying to make the form that is attached to the reply above this one work. i am trying to populate the whole form by a first and last name entry...IE enter first and last name and the record from the database that most closely matches it populates the form....ive had no luck with this yet and have searched till i can search much more...ive been stuck on this one query button for about 3 weeks now...any help is appreciated ..thanks in advance

All you have on your form is data fields, that is, fields that are attached to the data fields under the dataFields folder in the data source. If you add some query fields, from the queryFields folder onto your form, then run the query, you should have better luck. I'm attaching your template with that revision.

 thank you so very much...my first nightmare with this problem...solved...till next time !!! thanks again :)