InfoPath Dev

Hi, I'm sure this question has been asked before...I'm just not sure how to phrase the question, so I didn't find anything in the archives. I need to display corresponding paragraphs of text when different dropdown choices are made. We are developing an online form which is intended to make things easier for our contract proposal team. There is specific language that must get used depending on the type of contract the team is writing. In the course of filling out the form, the proposal team member must make a choice of the type of contract they are pursuing. The type is chosen using a dropdown. Once the type is chosen, we need the specific language to display in a non-editable field close to the dropdown, either to the right or below. How do I do this? Thanks, RLN

Hello,

I think there was a topic in one of our webinars in the past (localizing InfoPath forms) that's similar to your scenario. Please see James Rishe's demo here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THiTh55wiQs

Hope that helps!

Jo-Anne

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. Sorry for the delay.

Yes, the video helped. I appreciate it. Here's the bit I'm not understanding...I've set up the condition so that if a particular value is chosen in a dropdown, then a specific textbox with text corresponding to the dropdown choice is displayed. I need this corresponding text to be submitted with the record when the form is submitted. How do I tell InfoPath to choose the right textbox control when submitting the record?

Are you talking about promoted properties? Form fields that display their data in the library the XML is submitted to? Those can be configured under the File menu, Info, Form Options (Tools > Form Options pre-2010) in the Promoted Properties category - just select the field and promote it.

Thanks for your reply.

Maybe I'm not understanding promoted properties correctly, but I don't think that's what I need.

I have a dropdown with 7 choices. For each of these options, there's a corresponding text box. I've got the conditional formatting working right so that when a dropdown choice is made the matching text box appears; but, when the form gets submitted ALL of the text box fields get posted...not just the one corresponding to the chosen dropdown.

What do I need to set to tell InfoPath to only submit the text box that matches the chosen dropdown choice?

You would probably need another field for this - I'm not sure I understand your design decision of a specific text box control for each drop down option - I'm assuming the user enters something in the corresponding text box?

At any rate, you would probably need to add yet another field that you promote that holds the value of the text box based on the drop down selection - perhaps populating that field (not displayed on your form) when the user submits the form - promote that one.

To my knowledge, there is no way to conditionally promote fields.

Without boring you too much...the form is an effort to help users in creating another document they need submit in order to request resources for the next fiscal year. As they go through this form and make choices, text boxes with specific language they will need to use on their resource request is displayed. When they submit the form, we capture the users submission in a sharepoint document library for our own use.

I guess I'd probably use a single field for text per drop down, and set that field's value based on the drop down selection - probably using a secondary data source, so I could update things without making changes to the form. Then I'd promote that field if I needed the info displayed in my library.

Ok...so, to be sure I understand...for this one dropdown box I should have one single text box. For the textbox, I set up rules such that if the dropdown value equals "a" then the text box value equals "1"; if the dropdown field equals "b" then the text box value equals "2"; etc., for all seven dropdown box choices. Is that right?

The text box values are linked to the dropdown values in a secondary table? Do you have a site you can recommend?

The rules would be on the field bound to the dropdown control.

Then, when that field changes (the user changes the drop down selection) the field you are setting which is bound to the textbox you are displaying on your form would be changed.

I've created a simple sample form displaying what I mean. Save it locally, right click and open in design to preview.

 

You're awesome!!! Thank you.

In tinkering around, I may have found another solution (although, less dynamic)...when I set a rule I choose 'Add Action' and then 'Set a field's value' to the text I need to display.

Good team work! I appreciate your help. :)