Data Connections

Re: Adding new row in repeating inside another repeating

erickwidya — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:08:42 GMT

thx Patrick

I can still show you a demo of our survey, but my week is filling up. Next week would be better, but we should probably try to find another 2-3 people interested first...-> ok, i think now i'm intrested to give a look..but it need to use fast internet connection right? that gonna be a problem :D

maybe if i can see the screencast ?

Well, it's going to take you some time to develop a data driven survey. We know InfoPath better than anyone (including Microsoft since we were the ones that build InfoPath v1.0 for Microsoft). Anyway, we spent 4 years perfecting our data driven survey. It's an amazing solution, but I totally understand that you are your own cowboy. However, keep in mind that you will need at least 3 months to create the initial prototype of a truly data driven approach. There's a lot of considerations. Questions types, relational database tables, conditional sections, you'll need at least 3 InfoPath forms - one for the actual survey instance, one to define the survey questions, and another to manage your questions (if you want to reuse across surveys). Lots of stuff to think about ... -> arghh....poor me then :(..i've learn very hard using InfoPath..so stiff i think but if u guys can do it then it must be worth to try :D

You can simplify your solution by just hardcoding the survey - i.e. don't make it dynamic based on some survey template data-> that's what i've done..took alotttttttttttttt option button :D

We're currently hoping to make it one of the free out-of-box solutions for the hosting service. -> free for the forum?? :D

I know about NIMBY and NIH -> i don't know about it..what is it?

Re: Adding new row in repeating inside another repeating

Patrick Halstead — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 07:39:26 GMT

Hi again,

You can simplify your solution by just hardcoding the survey - i.e. don't make it dynamic based on some survey template data. Just take the survey and create an InfoPath form. Should take a week or two plus any time you need to integrate with a database. No code needed if you use SharePoint or submit to SQL using a generic Web service like our DBXL.

We don't currently have any articles or links on our web site, but we should - that's a good idea. We are planning to release our survey as part of our Internet forms beta hosting service in June. We're currently hoping to make it one of the free out-of-box solutions for the hosting service.

It's enough work to take ours and adopt/extend it. It's so much value to you guys, that just by adopting/deploying it would no doubt WOW your managers - just think they get 4 years of development for 1 month of your time to adopt it . You look like a total star and get a fat performance review! :) But, anyway, sorry to roll our "wheels" at you. I know about NIMBY and NIH. Reinventing the wheel is what man is all about. Have fun with your mission. You can always retain us for some work if you want later...

I can still show you a demo of our survey, but my week is filling up. Next week would be better, but we should probably try to find another 2-3 people interested first...

Cheerios!

Re: Adding new row in repeating inside another repeating

erickwidya — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 06:36:23 GMT

thx Patrick for the offer but i think my company wants me to develop it by myself for my performance review :D

can u elaborate more? or maybe give some example? or some article or link?

Re: Adding new row in repeating inside another repeating

Patrick Halstead — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:01:30 GMT

OK, well, we have done data driven surveys before. Typically what we do is use repeating sections with repeating sections or tables inside of them. There is some recursion and typically we limit to 4 or 5 levels deep. No need to write code for the XML structure. Make sure you start using XML schema and not the schema derived from a DB or Web Service. Then, it's easy to map the forms into your DB later using a meta Web Service like our DBXL, or your own. Or you can store the XML as a XML data type in SQL and map to relational tables later.

To control how many questions appear in each section, you'll want to load a secondary data source (2DS) into your form that is essentially the "recipe" for the survey.

We developed a very advanced survey over the course of 4 years (now in it's 6th version). It's totally data driven, maps to SQL and supports question versioning and many other features. If you'd like a demo, let me know. We would have to figure out some price to charge you for the solution, but I guarantee it would be cheaper and more fully featured than anything you could develop. Whether it looks like what you want, however, is a good question, and that's why we'd be happy to show you a quick demo of it. Send me e-mail if interested. I could do Friday afternoon.

Re: Adding new row in repeating inside another repeating

erickwidya — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:21:12 GMT

Hi Patrick

i just need to make something like this attachment into Infopath

because it's a like a survey question, i plan to use DB to store the value using parent-child hierarchy..each Section (I, II, III, ...) can have many22 questions so i assume i need to use repeating table inside repeating table (need using code in InfoPath for sure)

any idea?

Re: Adding new row in repeating inside another repeating

Patrick Halstead — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:47:18 GMT

Hi ErickWidya,

I'm sorry to be dense, but what exactly is the problem? Are you saying that users can't click on insert or that the insert widget doesn't appear?

Thanks for your clarification.

Re: Adding new row in repeating inside another repeating

erickwidya — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:26:22 GMT

thx Anuma

it can't use Master / Detail form because i'm using Web Form Template

Re: Adding new row in repeating inside another repeating

Anuma — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:16:56 GMT

Hi,

You can use Master detail section to solve your Problem. First three fields wil be displayed in the "master" table and another repeating table will be displayed in the detail table.

Can you try this and let me know if you have still any issues.

Adding new row in repeating inside another repeating

erickwidya — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:41:37 GMT

i've a hard time how to adding it..

any idea?

thx