InfoPath Dev

Hi InfoPathers:

 I need to create a variation on a cascading combo box.  Basically, I need control #1 to be a set of 3 option buttons where the buttons set values of 1, 2, or 3.  The option buttons are in a repeating table, and for each row, only 1 of the 3 options should be selected, so that's why I have option buttons instead of checkboxes or a multi-select list box.  Then I want control #2 to be a combobox called Assignment Role whose values filter based on which option button was selected.  I am using InfoPath 2010 Designer, and I've set up a data connection to a SharePoint 2010 list.  I have a 2nd column in the SharePoint list called No that corresponds to each of the 3 option button values.   In the Combobox, I'd like to do something like set Value to No and Display Name to the Assignment Role data, but I seem to be allowed to bind my combobox to either Assignment Role or No, but not to both.  If I could pull in both, I could set my filter to where option button value = Assignment Role value.

 Does anyone out there know if this can be done, and if so, what I'm missing?  

Thanks,

nkstrou

Hi there,

I'm a little confused on exactly what the problem is.  The way I understand it is that based on the selection of the option buttons (let's say the values are 1, 2, 3) this will populate what is in the combo box.  Suppose I select option 1, then the values in the combo box will be populated from a SP list where No = 1. I don't understand why you need to bind the combo box to both?  Seems like you just need to set your filter to make sure that No = option value.

Perhaps this video tutorial may help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH7xUEcQwwg

Let me know if I misunderstood your scenario and I'll try to help!

Anson:

I apologize for the slowness of my reply - my primary job function is *not* developing in InfoPath, but there is a project I stepped up for that I thought an InfoPath document would be the best solution for, and I work on my IP form as I have time, trying to learn as I go based on whatever I want the form to do.  I have to say, InfoPathDev is across the board the most useful IP resource I've found on the Internet.  :)

Yes, you have basically understood what I want to do.  The problem I'm *now* having (after making a little bit of forward progress) is that I can get my combobox to populate without the filter, but not with it.  I have set up the data connection for the combobox to be a secondary data source for retrieving data and have set the data to be stored offline with the form.  I set up an action rule to query the SP list for the combobox's data whenever my option button control is not blank.

My combobox has "d:No" for the Value and "d:Assignment_x0020_Role" for the Display Name. I set the filter against the Entries field and it shows as No = optAsgnRulesModule, which is the name of my option button.  I only have about 10 items total in the SharePoint list and none are duplicates.  I can get the security warning to pop up when I change my option button to a non-blank value, but there are no values in the combobox.

I did check the permissions on the SP list and I have different access levels through about 10 different groups.  That wouldn't give me a problem, would it?

Any other thoughts? 

Thanks,

nkstrou

I did just now find a data type mismatch where my No field is defined as a number while my option button was defined as text.  I changed the option button to a number and saved those changes, but continue to experience the same problem when the filter is present - no data appears in my dropdown.

There isn't some sort of cache I need to clear out on the local form, is there?

 nkstrou

Woo hoo - I think I got it.  This ended up being a data type mismatch issue.

I had No set as a number, but my option button and combobox set as text.  I tried changing all of those to numbers (which is a throwback to Access has you handle comboboxes - you bind the Primary Key to you combo's data value to your table, then display the text - that lets you change your dropdown option if you want without having to change every record where that value appears), but it didn't like the Display Name being a text field.  Finally I changed all 3 values to text and it's now cascading away like I wanted it to.

 I'm not totally convinced this won't bite me in the butt later on, but for now it's working.

 Thanks!

nkstrou