Basic Form question

[erick-flores]

Hello all, I am brand new using InfoPath. This is what I want to do:
Create a form so the users can enter the information, and have a
database to support that information. The database will be in Access,
this database part is the one that looks a lil complicated. Can
somebody give me some suggestions in this?

Thank you

 

[S.Y.M. Wong-A-Ton]

You must first create your database in Access and then use "New from Data
Connection..." when creating your form in InfoPath to bind your form to one
of the tables in the database. There are a few database samples on my website
(http://enterprise-solutions.swits.net/infopath/solutions.htm#databases)
which can get you started.

 

[erick-flores]

Thank you very much for your quick response. I did what you told me,
created a database in Access and then Import from..in Infopath. I
create a form using the fields from the table that I created in Access,
now how do I reflect the information that I am entering into the form
to my database in Access?

 

[S.Y.M. Wong-A-Ton]

You need enable submit for the form. This will submit changes back to the
database.

I saw you were helped in another post. To answer your last question on
primary keys: It is always a good practice to give every table you create a
primary key to avoid duplicate records.

 

[erick-flores]

Yes, I know that about the primary key. But in this case I do not need
a primary key at all. Is there anyway I can transfer my data from a
form to an Access db without a primary key?

 

[erick-flores]

The thing is need to have multiple records.

 

[S.Y.M. Wong-A-Ton]

No, you need a primary key, unless you try to add the records to the database
on another way by using a web service for instance.

 

[S.Y.M. Wong-A-Ton]

Not sure what you mean with "multiple records".

 

[erick-flores]

OK, let me explain what I am trying to do. Because not even I know if I
am doing thins right or maybe asking the wrong questions or what. I
build a db in Access, then link this db and start building forms from
the tables that I created in Access. This forms will be send to our
customer which they will fill them out and send them back to me. This
forms can have the same information on it (the customer are requesting
the same thing). So if I tried to set up a primary key, then it will
repeat in one of the fields and will not let me submit the form to the
db. I was thinking in maybe a way in where the form can generate an ID
and place it into the ID field (primary key), but then if I send the
form to multiples customer how do I make sure that the form generates
different ID to diffferent customers.
Another option (the one I want) is to, not have an primary key so I
will not get this type of problem, but again the form will not let me
submit it to my Access db. Maybe there is a way to allow the primary
key to be repeated, but I do not think so.

Any suggestions or though I will really appreciated, thanks

 

[S.Y.M. Wong-A-Ton]

How important is the use of a database in your case? That is, why did you
choose to save data in a database in the first place? Have you considered
just using XML?

 

[erick-flores]

I have never worked with XML before. How this will help me better? Is
it really hard to create one?

 

[S.Y.M. Wong-A-Ton]

You are working with XML when you work with InfoPath, since InfoPath is based
entirely on XML - even when you bind your form to a database. If you're new
to InfoPath, you can start learning more at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/office/program/infopath/2003/learn/. There are labs
you can do and webcasts you can view.

As to how XML would work in your case? You can create dropdown lists based
on secondary XML data sources instead of database tables, and instead of
submitting the form, you can just save it - the XML of the Main DOM will then
be saved. And since the Main DOM of all forms you send out to customers is
the same, you can use the merge feature of InfoPath to merge the forms when
you get them back, should you want to consolidate the data from all the
different forms into one form (see
http://office.microsoft.com/en-au/assistance/HP010968461033.aspx).

Hope this information will help you a bit further...