https://www.infopathdev.com:443/forums/39.aspxNew to InfoPath? Search to see if your question has already been answered. If it has not, then ask it here or the appropriate topic forum.enCommunityServer 2007 SP3 (Build: 31118.962)https://www.infopathdev.com:443/forums/thread/49269.aspxFri, 20 Nov 2009 05:24:55 GMT033a2e2d-04e2-4a9d-be01-a4634161eefd:49269Patrick Halstead0https://www.infopathdev.com:443/forums/thread/49269.aspxhttps://www.infopathdev.com:443/forums/commentrss.aspx?SectionID=39&PostID=49269<p>great questions</p> <p>use a single webservice that takes the xml as a string and saves it in the db and then performs the db mapping using a resource file that describes the mapping. benefits:</p> <ul> <li> <div>single web service for multiple xsns - no need to install separate web services for each XSN</div></li> <li> <div>you change the form and the submit doesn&#39;t break - since xml is getting saved, only the mapping fails which can be updated after hours</div></li> <li> <div>you change the database and submit doesn&#39;t break - just update mapping</div></li> <li> <div>all data types roundtrip - even rich text and images which you wouldn&#39;t want to map out anyway</div></li> <li> <div>xml schema can be richer than database derived schema - you can have multiple repeating nodes</div></li> <li> <div>web service can be used on the web without VPN (straight to DB requires VPN or exposing a proxy)</div></li> <li> <div>permissions can be more intelligently configured (but requires more stuff in the web service)</div></li></ul> <p>qdabra&#39;s web service suite (<a title="dbxl" href="http://www.qdabra.com/en/products/dbxl.aspx" target="_blank">dbxl</a>) does all of this and there&#39;s a free download. the beginner license is &lt;$500 so you&#39;ll save lots of time and money. we have many happy customers and it&#39;s been out there for 5 years now ... plus, it has tons of features for doing other things like versioning your forms, keeping audit history, load balancing, document level permissions, etc.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>https://www.infopathdev.com:443/forums/thread/49140.aspxTue, 17 Nov 2009 10:36:11 GMT033a2e2d-04e2-4a9d-be01-a4634161eefd:49140evvo19610https://www.infopathdev.com:443/forums/thread/49140.aspxhttps://www.infopathdev.com:443/forums/commentrss.aspx?SectionID=39&PostID=49140<p>im new to infopath as regards connecting to databases and was hoping for advice and best practice ideas on submiting and receiving data from databases.</p><p>generally several people will be involved in creating forms but not all will be very technical regarding db connecions so any way this can be made easy would be great.</p><p>my idea is to have a single database with tables for each different form (fields) and also tables for each type of form data that would populate the form/form template parts.</p><p>hopefully we can put together template parts with the appropriate db connections built in for easy re-use.</p><p>my main query is the best way to connect to databases within infopath... is it direct or better via web services?</p><p>im assuming&nbsp; a single web service could include a list of web methods for submitting different data to the same database... would this be more manageable?</p><p>i want to go down the right path from the word go with this so would appreciate advice and suggestions... <br /></p>