I'm currently working on an InfoPath form, for one section of which I need to include a folder browser dialog.
Since this isn't included in the standard control list I'm trying to create one.
I'm working with Visual Studio 2008 & InfoPath2003 (SP3) - This is the company's preferred setup.
Though I do have the option of Visual Studio 2008 & InfoPath 2007 (via SharePoint) if no options can be found using InfoPath2003.
-%-
From looking at the options (lots of googling) it seems I have 3 options;
1. Write JavaScript/VBScript dialog.
2. Develop Visual Studio InfoPath project/toolkit plug-in.
3. Build a custom control (either ActiveX object or a manage code project)
1. Write JavaScript/VBScript dialog.
Working with (cutting and pasting) sample dialog scripts - These work within a web browser, but fall over when I attempt to run them from the client.
2. Develop Visual Studio InfoPath project/toolkit plug-in.
I've been unable to setup Visual Studio in a way that allows me to create an InfoPath Form Template project;
Working with: Visual Studio 2008 & InfoPath2003 (SP3)
InfoPath 2003 Software Development Kit (SDK) - Installs.
InfoPath 2003 Toolkit for Visual Studio .NET - Fails to install, throwing 'A Microsoft Office 2003 InfoPath project for Visual Studio .NET 2003 requires an edition of Visual Studio that includes Visual Basic .NET or C#. It also requires Microsoft Office 2003 InfoPath SP1.
Visual Studio 2008 & InfoPath 2007 (via SharePoint)
Visual Studio 2005 Tools Office Second Edition (Runtime) - Installs
Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office Second Edition - Fails to install throwing 'Visual Studio 2005 block' & 'Visual Studio 2005 Locale Block - Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the 2007 Microsoft Office System can only be installed on a machine with the corresponding Visual Studio localized edition''
There seems to be a mismatch between VS2008 & InfoPath2003/2008 - Pretty much covered in this thread: http://www.infopathdev.com/forums/p/5661/21174.aspx - From which I'm guessing there's no way I'm going to be able to get this method to work (bit shoddy from Microsoft there)
3. Build a custom control (either ActiveX object or a manage code project)
Since I've been unable to get anywhere useful with the other methods, I've started looking down this path
Referencing Greg Collins 'Display a Save As Dialog Box' and 'Creating an InfoPath Custom Control using C# and .Net' for managed code
Referencing 'Walkthrough: Authoring a User Control with Visual C#' and MSDN's 'Lab 6: ActiveX Controls in InfoPath 2003' for unmanaged code.
However due to the comparative complexity, I was intending to use this method as a last resort.
-%-
Am I going about this the right way?
Are there any obvious/more straight forward solutions to this that I might be missing?
(I'm pretty new to InfoPath so there is a good chance that I'm heading down the wrong path here)
Many thanks!