InfoPath Dev

I need to allow users to select multiple items from a potentially long dropdown list. We've implemented it so that the DDL is in a repeating section. For the user to select another item he adds another section then selects from the list. However once a few repeating sections have been added the thing slows down enormously, presumably because there are now several DDLs all with their own lists of data.

I assume there must be a better way to do this that involves only one DDL and possibly a button which then adds to a table or something.  Can someone please give me some clue as to how to best implement this without using code behind? Would be much appreciated.

 Thanks in advance.

If you can't use a multi-select list box, then maybe create a new text field plus a button.  Have the user select the first item and press the button. 

Button RuleSet 1:

• Create a ruleset with a condition that checks to see if Field1 is blank
• If so, set the value of Field1 to the value of the dropdown selection
• Then, set the dropdown field to null

Button RuleSet 2:

• For your second ruleset, set a condition to see if Field1 is NOT blank
• If not, then the first rule should set Field1 to the concatenation of the dropdown selection and Field1 with some sort of delimiter
• Lastly, it should set the dropdown field to null

I believe this will cause your new Field1 to always add the new selection to itself without issue, but I haven't tried this yet - just thought it up.

I actually want to see all the added items in a list of some sort though, not just a delimited string. So I'd want to add them to a bulleted or numbered list or a repeating section. Can't figure out how to add another item to the list - I just keep over-writing the first item.

That's getting a bit picky now.  =P  I'm not sure how to do that without code.  I worked through some other ideas, but I can't figure it out.  Is there a reason why you prefer a dropdown list that must be looked at multiple times instead of a multi-select control?

Graeme,

Were you able to figure out how to do this? I am looking to do the same thing.

Thanks

Marco

 

I changed it so the DDL was not in the repeating section. When an item is selected from the list I add the text to the a repeating section just below the DDL. Works much better.

Thanks Graeme. Excuse my ignorance but I am new to InfoPath development. Could you give a more detailed explanation on how you achieved this? I gave it a couple of tries and it doesn't seem to be working for me. Thank you.

The only part I am having trouble with is adding the second, third, etc. selected item to the repeating section. I don't think I have my rules set properly because whenever I add an item to the repeating table, it just replaces the first item. How do I make it insert an item below the first (or second, or third) item? Thanks Graeme.

Hi InfoPath gurus,

I am having trouble getting this done. I have a view where the main form is held. On that form I have a “Select Capabilities” button which leads them to my “capabilities” view where I need the customer to choose from a list of over 200 capabilities. (The capabilities are managed by another team on our SharePoint site. I have a secondary udcx connection to pull these capabilities for the customer to choose from.) On the capabilities view I dragged the secondary connection and made a repeating table with a checkbox next to each capability. The customer must be able to choose from one or more capabilities. Once the customer chooses all of the applicable capabilities, I am trying to setup a button which leads them back to the form to show them the capabilities they have chosen in a repeating table. So far, I can do it with one capability but I can’t make it work when the customer chooses 2 or more capabilities. Can anyone help me out?

Thank you.

Basically, you are wanting to copy the selected capabilities into the main data source of the form, is that correct? You mentioned a udcx connection, so I'm guessing this is a browser form? You may be stuck writing code for this. We will soon have a new version of qRules available that is browser compatible, and the CopyTable command might suit your needs...

Yea Hilary that's right. I am trying to copy or insert the selected capabilities from the repeating table of the secondary data source to a repeating table in the main data source. I would like to do it without code but If code is needed that is not a problem. Is it possible? Thanks.