Newbie Questions

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

anh.vnn810 — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 01:44:18 GMT

Thank you so much for your solution.
It works perfectly!!!
I really appreciate your support. Thanks a lot!

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

Hilary Stoupa — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 15:07:40 GMT

I would add a field for this - set the default to something that would be true for the first instance and false for the others - then you could use that for your workflow condition. Perhaps the default could be: boolean(count(../preceding-sibling::*) = 0)

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

anh.vnn810 — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 03:41:29 GMT

Thank you for your reply.
I have try but that doesn't work. Hence, I will leave it as default.

I have another issue. I have created a workflow in SPD that started automatically every time a new item is created. Therefore, every time I input multiple items in the repeating sections, it will create multiple items and start a workflow for each of the item. However, I want the workflow to start only once for all these item.
My question is: "Is there an way that I can start a workflow only one times when submitting the form with repeating sections?"
Thank you!

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

Hilary Stoupa — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 15:13:57 GMT

That is tricky. I think you may be able to modify the view files for this (save the form as source files, and look at the view files in a text editor) but I am not sure if InfoPath Forms Services (browser) will respect your manual changes. Never hurts to try tho. :) Save a backup copy of your form before you start modifying from the source files.

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

anh.vnn810 — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 09:46:38 GMT

Hi Hilary,
Is there any way that I can customize the insert button in the repeating section (Make the text bigger, change color of the button, etc)?
Thank you.

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

anh.vnn810 — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 01:42:08 GMT

[SOLVED - I just found out that all I need to do to prevent losing information is by unchecking the "Refresh value when formula is calculated" option in the properties of each field]

Hi Hilary,
I have the same problem here and I'm glad if you can help me with this.
In the attach template, you can find there are 3 sections and I only want the middle one to repeat. I have add rules to hide the 2 other sections. In preview mode it works perfectly.
However, when I publish it to the list and try in the browser it doesn't work as expected. The information is disappearing when I go to the new field. I know that we can use XML for a helper container to solve this, but don't know how to do it.
Could you please help me with this problem.
Thank you very much.

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

arfir — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 16:11:13 GMT

thanks again as always for your quick response Hilary, I had tried ../preceding-sibling::my:SharePointListItem_RW/my:/pc:Person/pc:AccountId, but not ../../../preceding-sibling::my:SharePointListItem_RW/my:Editor/pc:Person/pc:AccountId (so with the editor and extra syntax)

I will give it a go as soon as I can (hopefully tomorrow) and update! :)

thanks again!

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

Hilary Stoupa — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 15:46:23 GMT

Maybe ../../../preceding-sibling::my:SharePointListItem_RW/my:Editor/pc:Person/pc:AccountId for the account ID?

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

arfir — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 13:29:31 GMT

Hi again Hilary, first of all thanks again for all your help - by now the form is pretty much where it should be, and we've managed to solve all our (old and new) problems along the way.

Regarding the people picker though, if we cannot put it in the secondary XML file, do you know if it is at least possible to have it populate with the previous entry each time there is an additional skill added? (so people only have to enter it once)

I am trying to figure out how to set the default value to the preceding sibling, but can't figure out the syntax unfortunately, and can't seem to find it.

So perhaps you can help me out with this by giving an example of the Xpath I need to enter? thanks a lot!

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

Hilary Stoupa — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:43:27 GMT

Glad I could help, let me know if you get stuck. :)

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

arfir — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:39:22 GMT

Ah that's a shame: I'd ask why, but I'm sure there is a good (and likely complicated) reason for it...

I might try to add a people picker in a separate repeating section that's not backed by the secondary data connection then, just in case - will report if I get anywhere.

Otherwise will have to settle for a text field I guess, in which case I'm optimistically expecting I'll be ok from here!

Thank you so much for your help, you've really been incredible!

Have a nice day+weekend!

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

Hilary Stoupa — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:19:34 GMT

You won't be able to bind a people picker to the XML file, I'm afraid.

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

arfir — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:17:06 GMT

Hi Hilary, thanks again for your quick response and help - happy to say I've found what you're looking for (was kind of playing around with that already if I'm honest) - and I think I can manage to get most of my form working as soon as I set up individual form load and form submit rules for each field :)

The only thing I am still unclear about is how to create a people picker field (that would link to our company directory) in the XML file, and how to then connect it - maybe you know how?

I promise that I'm nearly there, so soon all the technical issues will be behind me I hope :)

Thanks again,

Tom

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

Hilary Stoupa — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 15:43:02 GMT

Go to the data tab in the ribbon, and find the button for resource files - then from there you can export the XML file & add fields as needed. Then add the resource file back, and under the data connections, walk through the wizard again to update the schema in the data connection. You will need to add to your form load and form submit to handle the new fields the same way - let me know if you get stuck or need a hand. :)

Re: Can I have Non Repeating and Repeating Sections - SharePoint List/InfoPathForm?

arfir — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 12:02:35 GMT

Hi Hilary,

So back again if that's alright - trying to add more fields to our header that includes person name (the one we want to only need filling in once), but unsure of how to do that.

Am I right to believe we can add those fields to the same xml file and secondary data connection, instead of having to create a new one for each field we need? If so, how can we add new fields? Specifically there are some person lookup field that I need to link to our directory...

And is it correct that I need to add form load and form submit rules for each field? I think I can manage this by copying your example, but I just need to get the xml and secondary connections up and running first for all our fields.

Thanks again so much for your help, and kind regards,

Tom