InfoPath Dev

Hi,
I just thougt about a dynamic filter. I have two ddl with a filter working on the second one which shows me only data belonging to the selection in the first ddl. That works perfect. But as long as the first ddl is blank i can't select anything in the second one. Is there a posibility to make the filter on the second ddl only work as long as the first one isn't blank?
Thanks Ben

Ben,

1) Establish both of your DDL completely as you want them EXCEPT for the filter on the second DDL (DDL2).
2) Now copy the DDL2 and paste it right next to the original (DDL2a).
3) On DDL2a (the one without any filtering) right click and go to properties -> Display -> Conditional formatting
4) Hide DDL2a when DDL1 is NOT blank
5) Open up DDL2b and add your filtering condition and then set the conditional formatting to hide when DDL1 IS blank.

Hope this helps,

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Matt Faus

Thanks Matt,

but isn't there a possibility by doing that with only one ddl? Your solution is nice but I don't want to waste additional space...

You won't be wasting any more space... One of the two DDLs will be hidden at all times, therefore taking up the "space" of only one DDL. You will see both of the DDLs when you are designing your form, but if you hit "Preview" all is well. I'm not sure if you could do this with just one DDL, maybe, but why?

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Matt Faus

I was just thinking of having three or more ddl in a row. I'd looks not very professional if one is "jumping" by selecting another one. But that's only design and I'm happy of getting your solution.

I still don't understand what your saying about making the form look "professional." If you do it correctly the form should look exactly the same with my solution as if you only used 1 DDL for the second list. If you select something from DDL2 while DDL1 is blank and then choose something in DDL1 the selection in DDL2 "jumps" from what it was to the default of the filtered DDL, but isn't this good? Otherwise you might get a situation where you would have an unallowed selection in the second DDL.

Anyway, it should look exactly the same as if there were only 2 DDLs in Design mode b/c one is always hidden when the form is actually being filled out. If I'm misunderstanding, sorry. Maybe we're just beating a dead horse.

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Matt Faus

Okay I try to picture it out:
-______--_______-_______--________
[______][_______][_______][________]
-ddl a----ddl b1----ddl b2----ddl c

What I mean with juping around is the space between wheather ddl a an ddl b2 or ddl b1 and ddl c.

My friend, have you even tried setting this up in InfoPath? I think you a are a little confused on how InfoPath treats "hidden" controls. If you do it correctly, you will have the same number of DDLs at all times on the form. Because DDL2a has conditional formatting that hides the control when DDL1 is NOT blank and the other hides when it IS blank only one of the two DDL2s can display at a time. When a control is "hidden" it doesn't just become invisible and still take up the same space, it actually drops out of the view persay.

I think this is what you're thinking happens:

[Design mode]
-______--_______-_______--________
[______][__1____][___2___][________]

[Preview mode BLANK]
-______-_ _ _ _ _ _______--________
[______]_ _ _ _ _[___2___][________]

[Preview mode NOT BLANK]

-______--_______-_ _ _ _ _ ________
[Nblank][___1___]_ _ _ _ _[________]


However, the above is not how IP performs. The following is what happens:

[Design mode]
-______--_______-_______--________
[______][__1____][___2___][________]


[Preview mode BLANK]
-______-_______--________
[______][___2___][________]

[Preview mode NOT BLANK]

-______-_______--________
[NBlank][___1___][________]


Notice how they look exactly the same, just different controls are displayed. Try it out.

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Matt Faus

Okay, just tried it and it works like you told me. Now I realize why you are a "moderator" and I'm a "starting member". Sorry for wasting your time Matt and thanks again...

No problem, man. Why ask for advice when you won't even take what's offered?

Hey, at least I got to use the phrase "beating a dead horse" - I love that phrase.

Code on, code on! Good luck, have fun.

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Matt Faus