InfoPath Dev

I am a true newbie to InfoPath, so please pardon me if I am asking questions that are answered elsewhere. I took some time to bone-up on the existing information prior to posting here, and I believe that what I am asking about has not been covered in such a way to meet my needs.

Because of the web security policies where I work, it is not feasible for me to put up a SQL database linked to an InfoPath front-end.  It would take months to do the security evaluation before we could use the database, and I do not have months to spare. To make matters worse, even if I could get a SQL db in-place with an InfoPath front-end, many of our sites are too remote to reliably access it across the Internet.

So, I am trying to build InfoPath 2007 forms that work with an Access 2007 database. The reason I am using InfoPath is that the interface is much easier to use than the ones I can create in Access.The deployment is decidedly low-tech -- the Access db and front-ends will be distributed on a jump drive. Once the data is entered for a given site, they will send the data to me and I will combine it into a system-wide Access db.

I have already successfully (miraculously) created an InfoPath form that works to collect the data. I can create new records in Access and the whole thing works beautifully.

The problem I am tackling now is how to use InfoPath to retrieve all the data related to a record and allow the end-user to edit it and re-submit it or delete the record entirely (in case there are duplicates).

What is the best way to go about doing this?  Currently, I have a form that is identical to the data entry form with one exception -- at the top, the user can select a unique record identifier. By doing this, I was hoping to have the form populate with the data related to that record. So far, the only field that populates is the box where the unique record identifier can be changed once the identifier is selected in the combo box of possibilities.

I would be grateful for any help on this matter.

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

You'll want to make sure that the control that allows the user to select a record is bound to a field in the query fields in your main data source. You'll also want to run the main data source query after the record is selected. This should then return data to your form.

I'm sure you've done a lot of homework to get this far, but I encourage you to check out this article on Office Online. While written for 2003, the basics are the same. In particular, please reveiw the section titled 'Lesson 4', as it has information on querying your data source.

Happy Holidays, and thanks for the answer, Hilary.

I had run across that article before, but I printed it and read it again. Thank you for the link. It helped refresh my mind on this topic. But maybe I am a little slow.

All my fields are populated from the query list from the main data source. I added the Run Query button to my form. Still, even after a record is selected and the Run Query button is pressed, only the unique record ID field that is populated from the database has any information in it. The other fields are blank despite the fact that they are also pulled from the query list and I know the data in the fields exist in the database.

 I am very confused as to why the form that looks like it ought to be working is not working.

 Oh yes, there is something else I am wondering about... InfoPath allows me to specify responses in a combo box as well as what values to capture. In my case, I have "No" set to the response value of 0 and "Yes" set to the response value of 1; "Not Applicable" is set to 2. The values are being properly captured into the Access database.

However, when I link the edit form back up to the database, I cannot show the response names (it will show 0, 1, or 2, instead of "No," "Yes," or "Not Applicable"). Any ideas about linking these back up?

Okay. I am still a bit bogged-down. I don't think I quite get what you mean when you write: "You'll also want to run the main data source query after the record is selected."

Is there some way to trigger this event once a record is selected?

Hi--

Just to clarify, use the query fields for the filter for your query. Then, on your form, you also need to display fields bound to the date fields in order to see the returned data. It may make it easier to understand if you just drag the whole data source on to your form and select 'Section with Controls' to see all the data fields.

As to your earlier question about 'linking' your values back to the display -- you can use a drop down control in the data fields section as well, with the correct display and value to show the 0, 1, or what have you as the correct display value.

Wow! Thank you. I just broke loose and have done a number of things that I could not do before.

Thanks again!!!