InfoPath Dev

So I successfully created some cascading dropdowns in my browser-enabled form using a web service and a database to store the dropdown info and relationships, then using a rule to populate the 2nd dropdown based upon what is selected in the 1st dropdown. This all works well. -- Unfortunately, the dropdowns need to be in a repeating section, and when inserting an item and selecting an item from the 1st dropdown on the second entry, the 2nd dropdown from the first entry changes to its database ID value! I assume because my rule is firing on all 2nd dropdowns?? How can I have this functionality work in a repeating section? Also, is there a difference between a repeating section and a repeating table in the way form elements are used? Here is my web services code and a screen of the drowndowns in the repeating section:

I hate to tell you this.... but I don't think there is a way to have this functionality in repeating sections. We can't use filters in a browser form on our dropdowns, so by using a web service you are getting back just the data for each ddl that would apply to the value in the first ddl.

If your data doesn't change very often -- that is, if all the options in your first dropdown are pretty set, you could add a handful of dropdowns for your second drop down. Conditionally format those to hide or show based on the value of the field the first dropdown is bound to. Then, for your 2nd ddl, use different data sources for each, so that each has only the correct options for a specific selection in the first ddl.

Hopefully someone else has a better idea for a work around, because that idea strikes me as kind of kludgy......

You are right - this option is 'kludgy'.

Using InfoPath 2007, I have found that you can't format the dropdowns sufficiently so that they look as though they jump around the screen (although hidden, they still seem to take up some screen estate). I've also found that there seems to be some sort of bug meaning that after the first few dropdowns (I was trying to use about 9) the first secondary dropdown menu is included along with the desired one based upon the primary DD selection.