InfoPath Dev

This is the first application I have done in ifo path and I need to write some custom validation. I am familiar with visual studio and I know how to create the event stubbs, but I can't find any sample code as to how to access the controls on the form.

I want to write something along the lines of

if checkbox1 and checkbox 2 and checkbox 3 and checkbox 4 and checkbox 5 but not checkbox 6 then

raise error

end if

how do i refer to checkboxes on the form and their values

VSTA for that kind of problem? You have to really love pain.

well from what I undestand you can only validate up to 5 conditions per control which is not enough in this case. If there is a simpler way to do it I would prefer that.

 Looking at code samples I need a good knowledge of xPath, which is not something I have used before, so I do not understand the syntax that I need to get hold of the check box controls.

Sure, only 5 per condition, but you can stack additional conditions after that.  You can also concatenate the values of the checkboxes to a hidden field and do a comparison.  There is much you can do, but we need to know your EXACT scenario and all possible permutations of the logic?

moggy:

Looking at code samples I need a good knowledge of xPath, which is not something I have used before, so I do not understand the syntax that I need to get hold of the check box controls.

 Try opening the Data Source taskpane, right-clicking one of the fields to which your one of your checkboxes is bound, and selecting Copy XPath.  Some aspects of XPath can be very simple as soon as you get used to it.

But if you can get by without using code for this, I would highly recommend it.

wow, now that is a great tip thanks

warrtalon:

Sure, only 5 per condition, but you can stack additional conditions after that.  You can also concatenate the values of the checkboxes to a hidden field and do a comparison.  There is much you can do, but we need to know your EXACT scenario and all possible permutations of the logic?

It is a fairly simple form

It is one table in the db for this part of the logic.

There are roughly 7 columns in the table that are boolean (not a great db design but I am stuck with it).

When a person adds a record, the logic is that one of these 7 columns (check boxes) has been ticked.  That is it.

I don't want the validation in the individual events for the controls, just on the submit form.

I'm thinking that would be very easy, but I still need to know _exactly_ what you want to do.  All you said was, "when a person adds a record, the logic is that one of these 7 check boxes has been ticked."  Ok, what does that mean?  Is this a form built on the schema of a database, and you are reading/writing to the DB?  Is it based on a web service that reads/writes to the DB?  Is the DB data source your main data source or a secondary data source?

I'm trying to figure out what people do when they fill out the form.  Are they filling out a row that has 7 boolean columns, and they should only be allowed to fill out one?  If they do one, do you want to disable the others?  Why do you want it only on the submit?  what if they mess up?  You'd rather them get an error instead of not being allowed commit the error?

There has to be at least one box checked it would be allowed to check all 7 boxes (though unlikely to happen)

It is the main data source  and the form is built on the schema from a database and writes back to a sql server database. It does not involve a web service.

 The controls should not get disabled, I want the form to throw an error and prevent submission of the form until at least one of thse check boxes have been ticked

Super easy, I think:

Place conditional formatting on your submit button (assuming a custom, non-code submit button on the canvas that triggers the submit to db) that has this expression:

concat(my:Box1, my:Box2, my:Box3, my:Box4, my:Box5, my:Box6, my:Box7) = "falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse"

You basically create a condition that says, "The expression: concat(my:Box1, my:Box2, my:Box3, my:Box4, my:Box5, my:Box6, my:Box7) = "falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse", then disable this control.

This assumes your boolean fields default to "false" when not checked.  If it's something else like FALSE, False, or No, then substitute the 7 falses with 7 of whatever you need.  The concat is adding each box's value together in a string, and when all unchecked ,the string should be false 7 times.  Any time a box is checked, that value changes to true, and the button will become enabled.  If the user checks a box and then unchecks it, the condition is triggered again.

ah yes, that makes sense much easier than VSTA.

 thanks very much for that solution