InfoPath Dev

Hello all,

Here is my problem: I have a form with a repeating section and I  want to submit the data to a sharepoint form library. The library only displays the first row of the repeating table and nothing more. If I open the saved form the rest of the repeating items are there but they are not pushed out into the SharePoint library view. Does anyone know how I could show however many repeating lists there are inside the same column? Please help me out here. Thank you much! 

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry I have bad news.  Sharepoint is built on a flat data structure in order to browse very quickly. It was not intended for relational data. You can create a seperate list but then there is no way to relate the information back to the form.

However, SQL was built for this scenario, and that is the solution. It also will give you several other advantages. Such as reporting of aggregated data, permissions, better performance, etc.

You can send me an email and I could show you some examples.

Using Sql/Access is the best way.  However, not to disagree with Clay but, you can submit to the sharepoint site and retrieve all data.  When you setup your data connection, you selected the field(s) to store in the sharepoint site. Below that field option is where it says "first"   instead of "first", select "merge".  This will put all everything in.  (if I am understanding what you are doing correctly)

The problem with doing this is that you can't get good reporting from it.  You can't search or filter well.  If you only need to store the data and be able to retrieve it, this should work for you.  But, again, it limits your options and therefore doing sql/access database is far better.
 

Merge is a way to aggregate the data, although troubled as you mention but I believe he wants to "promote" the field which merge does not apply to.

bharvey, actually this is exactly what I wanted to do. I followed the instructions and it worked. I should have explained myself a lot better. Thank you both for the help.

Hi,

i joint this forum last might in order to ask the same question, however i am interested in using sql or MS Access to create a solution as i do need the data for better reporting and to link to other tables. I don't know if i should post here or as a new topic. Please see the question i had prepared before i see the question already asked.

If you submit this data to SQL then you can capture all of this data, with its relations.  Then you can do your analysis and reporting on all of the data via a web report like SQL Reporting Services or even connect to it via Excel.  Having real-time dashboards of current orders, etc I am sure is important.

It also is then accessible by other forms or processes to access any of the data they need.  You can still display these forms via web parts in SharePoint as needed.

If you want to email me, I can show you some examples.

Many thanks Clay,

I will email you for those examples. I've got a feeling they will throw up all sorts of new questions, but at least i'll be heading down the right route from the get-go

 On this topic - I have  a related question.

I am using an SQL DB as a secondary datasource. I'd like to dynamically insert a repeating section in the form based  on the number of rows returned from the DB. I have tried using the following code but it doesn't work in the FormEvents_Loading event. (I need to automatically create the sections when the user opens the form.)

this.CurrentView.ExecuteAction(ActionType.XCollectionInsert, "group98_8065");

Thanks a million!

.

You guys are the best, that solved it for me as well.

Hello,

I have a similar issue with this. I have my property promotion fields as "merged," but it doesn't work well when reporting in SharePoint. Is there a better/easy method (i.e., SQL) that I can use to resolve and improve upon this issue?

Thanks, in advance for your help.