InfoPath Dev

Hi,

As my 60+ forms all contain the section "address block" I have created a template part containing that section, and published it on Sharepoint so everyone can find it and use it. My question is, if I do any changes on the template part, can all the instances of the part be updated automatically?

I have studied an example here: http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=705247&seqNum=1 , and they talk about an automatic update if you create a registry key pointing to the location of the template part. I have not got it to work completely as the registry key cannot point to a URL, and you should use a Network Place mirroring to the Sharepoint website where the Template Part is.

If the registry key points to "TemplatePart\Template%20Parts" which is the name of the network place, InfoPath cannot even load a form. If the registry key points to http://MySharePointSite/Docs/Template%20Parts" it works, in contrast to what is said about URLs, I can load forms. Why is that?

But even if I use the URL, there is no automatic update. I still have to remove the old custom control and add the new one with the updated template part before the template part gets the design visual about an update. Can anyone help?

Can someone just point out how the registry key works? This is a quote from the article linked above:

There are a couple of things to note about this, though. First, this path can be only to a folder on your local machine or on a network share. Internet URLs won't work. However, if you want to place your template parts on a Web site, you can use folder mirroring to create a share that points to an Internet address. (You can do this by creating a new Network Place in Windows that points to the URL.)

My registry key: String value = IPCustomControlsFolder, Value data = \\TemplateParts\template%20parts (network place pointing to the sharepoint site)

Without the two backslashes before TemplateParts\tem... InfoPath cannot even load. But with an Internet URL like Value Data = http://www.microsoft.com there is no problem, despite what is just said in the quote above.

But still there is no functionality even close to something like what is discussed here; http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb409614.aspx , no "When the designer UI of Office InfoPath 2007 is reopened, all template parts and ActiveX controls at the network location are displayed in the Custom section of the Controls task pane."

Anyone who can explain?

So I have narrowed the problem down;

As long as the registry key points to a local folder on my computer the custom controls are automatically loaded. I don't need the manual procedure add or remove custom controls .

But I still have the impression from material I have read (links above) that it should also be possible to load the custom controls from a network share.

Quote msdn:

1. For the Value data of the new string value, type a location where the template part (.xtp) files are located.

   This can be a UNC value, such as "\\ServerName\InfoPathTemplateParts," or a mapped drive location, such as "Z:\InfoPathTemplateParts."

Quote Roberts & Green:

However, if you want to place your template parts on a Web site, you can use folder mirroring to create a share that points to an Internet address. (You can do this by creating a new Network Place in Windows that points to the URL.)