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Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Daryl K — Sat, 11 Apr 2020 03:12:55 GMT

Hello to anyone still reading this forum. :-)

I started this particular thread in the summer of 2019 but got pulled onto numerous other projects, then once this one was re-started I was instructed to investigate Power Apps. in the end I came full circle back to Infopath to perform the desired functions, and after re-familiarizing myself with Hilary's suggestions and her example was able to get the exact functionality I needed. The menu "tree" has been reduced from four to three levels, but for all entries there is only column used for the defect code. The Level 1 and Level 2 parts of the menu tree are bound only to xml variants and don't consume a column but still aid in navigating the 58 possible menu codes.

So all is good and working as desired right now. No problem, right? Except one, and that's the exact same bug described earlier in this thread. When saving and closing the file then reopening only the Level 3 menu drop-down- which is bound to an actual column, retains its configuration. The Level 1 and 2 xml-bound drop-downs retain nothing and have to be reconfigured every single time.

While not a "killer" issue it's a huge inconvenience because every time the file is re-opened to make a tweak I have to reconfigure 60 of these bound entries. I guess I am just checking in to see if anyone has come across a fix or work around for this particular Infopth bug.

Thank you for reading!

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Daryl K — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 13:16:14 GMT

Unfortunately that is not an option. This form is already HUGE and very near the column limit in SharePoint. I can barely afford to add the 25 additional columns needed for 25 error codes. If I added the fields used just to filter the codes it will be 100 more (4 drop-downs x 25 slots for storing errors), which I know won't fit. :-(

Other than the bug this way works best by far, since filters 1 - 3 are only used to help the tester sort through the hierarchical list of the many codes (selecting the actual codes is someone else's project, and not something I have control over). During the few months this is under development I may investigate using Auto Hotkey or similar to reconfigure the parts that don't save every morning.

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Hilary Stoupa — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 15:04:39 GMT

Oh wow - I figured it did since the template I uploaded still works when I re-open it. You may just have to add these fields to your list.

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Daryl K — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 14:56:08 GMT

No, it doesn't. Granted this form is still in development (so not published) but if I close and re-open and then Preview I get the "not a valid xsn" error. I can go re-configure the drop-downs then it works again.

It will be a pain once I duplicate the fields the 25 or so needed times...

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Hilary Stoupa — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 14:43:10 GMT

Does it still work, if you don't change the dropdowns at all? In my case, the form continued to work as anticipated, as long as I didn't modify the dropdowns - the configuration is stored in the view files, and I think it is just a bug with displaying the selections. I wouldn't anticipate this will ever be fixed.

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Daryl K — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 12:40:44 GMT

Ya know, I've got this working fine now and understand it too, but I have this exact same bug yours displayed: anytime I close the Infopath file then reopen it the three filter drop-downs lose their configuration. SO long as it's open and I keep clicking Save it's OK, but close it at the end of the day and I have to reconfigure all of them the next day.

What a PITA. I am guessing with zero patches coming for Infopath that this is something we just have to deal with??

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Daryl K — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 17:55:47 GMT

Dang - I think I just figured it out! I had imported the xml with just Filter1...FIlter3 but hadn't selected it in my value filter. Once I did that it seems to be working!

It's just an ultra-simple example now, but I needed a proof-of-concept before I expand it into a full-blown solution, but now I think I have the idea.

Thanks for all your help Hilary!

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Hilary Stoupa — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 17:49:49 GMT

Wouldn't your data source be the secondary data you want the users to be able to select from?

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Daryl K — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 17:30:34 GMT

Sorry, my bad. We were talking about the same thing but I had it configured wrong.

So with that resolved: let's say for the Filter2 level my Data Source is my xml menu "Filter2" repeating field. Now I select the Filter Data button to edit a filter. I tried Filter1 = Filter1 since I only want to show those entries, and while it accepted this it didn't improve the outcome (every level still showed all menu entries in that level). Obviously not the right solution...

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Hilary Stoupa — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 17:02:05 GMT

We must be talking about different things. I'm talking about filtering the dropdown options.

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Daryl K — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 16:50:40 GMT

"Filter" isn't even available until the bind the drop-down to a column, which I don't want to do.

I am thinking about attaching it but I'd have to strip a lot of stuff out first...one reason I am slow to do so.

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Hilary Stoupa — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 16:44:36 GMT

What a weird InfoPath bug. When I initially set these up, I selected the entries from a secondary data source and added filters. So, the second dropdown had a filter that looks like: /CATALOG/PLANT[ZONE = xdXDocument:GetDOM("Filter")/Filters/Filter1] and if I download my original file and preview it, I can see it still works as anticipated, but you are right - re-opening the properties for the dropdowns they don't display the selected data source or filters on that data source. You do need to add filters to your second and third dropdown - you can attach a copy of your form and I can help you with that.

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Daryl K — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:06:13 GMT

I've mostly reproduced this, but am stuck at one point.

On your file if I open Filter1 - Filter3 they are configured for "Get choices from fields in this form" but the "Entries" section is blank. I get an error even if I click "OK" on the sample, yet is works in demo mode.

Obviously I am missing something with the proper way to configure this, and it's an important part because as it is now each Filter level displays every entry in that level. In other words, right off the bat everything designated as Level 2 and Level 3 is visible in their respective drop-downs, irrespective of what is selected in Level 1.

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Daryl K — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 19:18:14 GMT

I got pulled onto other projects and have not had a chance to get back to this, but wanted to say "thanks" for the suggestions. I think it will work, but I am such a noob in xml that I "practiced" by creating a simple 9-item drop-down in Infopath. It was a little trial-and-error since examples seem few and far between, but I eventually had success, so over the next month or so I'll experiment with the contextual, tiered menu using xml.

It's not immediately clear to me how it's working in your example, but hopefully I can reverse-engineer the idea (though any "how to" links would also be appreciated!

Thanks again!

Re: Creating cascaded menu that uses only one column?

Hilary Stoupa — Mon, 29 Jul 2019 15:16:12 GMT

The XML is in the form's resource files - no need to put in online anywhere. It is a small file. Under Data > Resource Files in design mode you can see the file, and use Export to export the file so you can open it in a text editor.