InfoPath Dev

I have a working Infopath 2003 Form submitting data to a MS-Access 2003 database. Users access this form from a Shared Folder on a network. No web service or shared Library stuffs.

I am plannign to migrate the Access databse to SQL Server Database. My questions are:

1) Should I do this?

2) What are the steps/procedures to achieve this. How does the Infopath builds the data connection to this SQL databse?

Any help/advice is much appreciated.

Thanks. 

This is considered a best practice when you are going to have a database that is used by more than a few people.  The import is pretty simple. Either from your SQL Management Studio run an import via the wizard or in Access I believe you can export the other direction as well.

In InfoPath designer you would need to modify your dataconnection to point at the SQL Server and the hosted DB instead of your mdb file on the share.

The other advice I would give you is that InfoPath database forms are limited and if you are going to be creating enterprise form solutions with backend data you are going to want to use web services instead.  I would recommend you try the Database Acellerator Web Service Suite. This gives you all the webservices you would need in one package. As well as Active Directory integration and secure storage and control of your forms.

You can download it for free. Qdabra Database Accelerator Suite Version 2.0 - Developer

Hi haket,

In general, SQL Server is always a better choice.  Access can be easier to work with, but SQL Server is several orders of magnitude more powerful.  The easiest way to upgrade to SQL is to use the Upsizing Wizard in Access.  I have done this a few times, but not enough to give expert advice.  I'll leave you with a few links, and if you have any troubles please get back with us!

http://www.google.com/search?q=upsize+access+database+to+sql&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/237980

 Thanks for your response. 

I have managed to migrate the data to SQL. How do I change the dataconnection other than recreating the form using the "Desing New data connection" option? 

>In InfoPath designer you would need to modify your dataconnection to point at the SQL Server and the hosted DB instead of your mdb file on the share.

My form connected to Access conatains a number of Validation and Actin rules embedded and I do not watn to repeat the whole process.

I will try the Web Publisher tool shortly.

Thanks

I assume you setup the original form as a database form when you created it.  You should be able to go into Data Connections and modify the main data connection and point it at the sql server tables instead of the mdb file. 

Highlight the data connection, select modify.  Select Change Database and if this is the first time using the new SQL then select New Source otherwise it will be listed.  Go through the New Source wizard and select SQL server, enter the server name and give it the credentials to connect, etc.  If you are using the same table it should be pretty straightforward but if you have made changes you should probably go through your datasource and make sure all of your bindings are still correct, etc.

while trying to install the Qdabra Database Accelerator version 2.1 i get the following error message.

"The installation failed, and the rollback has been performed --> Error in initializing DBXL database --> The request failed with HTTP status 405. Method not allowed."

I have a SQl EXPRESS server running on teh machine on whihc i tried installing the Qdabra suite. Any help please?

Hi Having the same problem with error 405. Have you found a solution?

Dean 

Hi Dean.

Here is the fix for that. DBXL Installation Produces an HTTP Error 405 on Windows XP Machine

 Also make sure you are installing on a PC that is joined to a domain.