InfoPath Dev

I have created an InfoPath 2010 form in my development environment.  All connections are held in a Data Connections Library.  I need to know how to get this form into production.  I have never created a .stp or .wsp file before, and from what I can find this is the way that forms should be packaged when taking them across sites or site collections.

This is the process I performed

·         Create form, with all connections is a Data Connection Library   published the form at an Administrator Approved Form.  All working fine!

·         Create a new data Connection Library in my production site.  Moved all of the connections across to a new Data Connection Library and modified them accordingly.  Still going well!

·         Republish this form to my live site, again as an Administrator Approved Form.  The last step of this publish prompted me with:

o   You are moving this form from http://test to the location above.  If the data sources this form uses are also moving, click the checkbox below so they continue to work.  I DID check this box.

I did the reverse to get it back to a development state.

I now need to modify one of the data connections, to pick up some extra details from a list.  When I go to my data connections and try to modify one, I get the following

·         The operation could not be completed

o   Details: the specified data connection library points to local or network files, which are not allowed

I assume I am going about this the wrong way, but do not do what to do.

Can someone please help?                J

• Why is the form admin-approved?  Does it contain Full Trust custom code?
• Why are all the data connections converted to UDC?  ARe they connecting to external data sources?

If you simply publish the form to the form library or list in dev then re-publish to the new site and check that box at the end, everything carries over without any configuration.  If you have data connections to other lists and libraries, you'll need to build those first on the new site (it's best to do a backup/restore, export/import, or save as template/create from template).

I don't know what you're trying to do at the end that causes that error.  How exactly are you trying to modify the data connections?  DCs converted to UDC can't be updated like regular DCs.

Clayton

Why is it admin approved – I guess that is just an old habit.  All of the forms I created in 2007 where of this type, so I have just kept using it.

Why use data connections – from what I had read I thought this was the best way to go.

What I am really trying to do is to determine what is the best way to keep just ONE copy of a form and publish that as I see fit to either a development or live environment.

My forms do have data connections to other libraries and lists.

So if you can point me in the right direction, it would be gratefully appreciated.  My post was just on two months old, so I had given up on any chance of getting a response.

1. Every form?  That's a ton of extra overheard for you.  It takes way longer to develop that way, requires farm admin access to update your template, and it causes an IISRESET every time you update the template.  That's a big no-no in a live environment.  I recommend only using admin-approved forms when they are required, which is when they have code (any code in 2007 browser forms and Full Trust code in client forms, but totally different in 2010).
2. From what you read where?  Best way to go for what?  Data connections only need to be UDCs if connecting to external data sources.  UDCs can help with re-use if multiple form templates need to use that data connection, but that would only be for things like the User Profile Service and other external repositories that would be used across the entire site collection.  Whenever you do this type, you lose the ability to modify it normally.
3. One copy may work if you do what I said and let it change the data connections for you.  The key will be whether the GUIDs of the list data connections change along with the URLs.

1.  I understand what you are saying, and of the five forms I am currently working with, two have code.  I will leave these as admin approved and change the others.

2.  I have already removed the Data Connections, as I found it too painful.

3.  Yes the guids did change.

I have now got one development version and one live version of each form.  It seems to be the easiest option.

What are your thoughts on this?