InfoPath Dev

Ok guys,

My overall project Goal: Using an SQL Database I want to design a form that can be used to retrieve and submit data to that SQL database,  and I want to make this form as automated as possible.  My hope to publish this form inside a Sharpoint page that will also reference the SQL database and provide some calendar scheduling at this point. Unless I can include a Calander/Scheduling tool into the form that can send what they schedule to outlook for their calanders.

all that said I have lofty goals for my first time project. 

And here is where I am at now. 

Before I get to much further into my project I want to be sure I am making the right decision that I am faced with under
Tools > Form Options > Compatibility

If you check "Design a form template that can be opened in a browser or Infopath" you only choices under programming is C # and VB.  Out of these 2 I guess I would rather use VB, due to my very limited programming knowledge.
But from the information I got here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/infopath/HP100866391033.aspx
It says to interface with a SQL database you must turn off "Design a form template.." And because I want this form I am creating to work with a SQL database I did turn it off and chose programing JScript, just because of the examples that I found for some of the deigns elements I wanted (example tabbing) where in this code.

But after turning "Design a form template that can be opened in a browser or Infopath" off I also received the option to code in VBS which I have more experience with because I right a lot of network scripts.  This I can say would be a big plus because I know I can have it retrieve AD info and other things like that which would be nice from a user perspective. But I do not see how it would would be able to do some of the functionality that i want like example: tabs

My question is what is everyone using when it comes to this and why? 

Thanks in advanced

I really applicate all the response I have gotten on my post, this is an awesome community and you will probably be hearing a lot more from me as time goes on. 

Hi

Lets us clear up a few things first, a browser form cannot connect directly to a database, but can via a webservice, much like DBXL a program written by Qdabra, a developer free download is available here http://www.qdabra.com/proddetail.asp?prod=QDBXL1.  You can define a template linked to a database but it has to be linked using create a form template new from a data connection, unless you use something like DBXL

Infopath only forms offer many benefits not least of which is utilising other programming languages.

You must connect a form to a database as the first step of design unless using something like DBXL.  Then place data fields on the form to collect data and query fields to query the database. 

Most people would prefer to use the rich experience of Infopath and it is design opportunties, but restrictions like not every user having Infopath installed that force people to go down the browser form.  Infopath forms offer programming in 4 different languages and 2 programming model variants and allows extra controls and other benefits that will not work on browser forms.

Designing an Infopath form lots of people use VBS but programmers generally prefer C# due to its greater scope.

If all your users have Infopath installed then much better to use the Infopath Client and then choose whatever language you are more proficient in but make sure you connect your form to a database at the outset.

A quick note as well, if you want repeating tables or sections then you have to have two tables in the database in a one-to-many realtionship.

I hope this helps

Cheers

This is ambitious.

How complex are your tables in SQL? That is probably your first factor in determining your architecture.  Despite being easier and faster IMHO, if you have multiple tables you want to query and submit to in SQL then you will need to use Web Services rather than a simple Database form. I do these kinds of enterprise solutions quite frequently using the Qdabra Database Accelerator Suite Version 2.1 - Developer and I do not think you would probably need any coding for yours. Browser compatible is not a problem with web services either.

You can use Visual Studio for either browser based or not and that would be probably the best plan if you are going to require code.

Since you are in the planning stage you need to look at architecture and what your requirements are.

If you would like some help, I could give you a demo of how we typically would approach this and/or check out your architecture plan for you.

Send me an email if you would like.