Form template ID conflicts

[owave_tw]

Hi -

We are receiving the following error message when attempting to open a form
template that has been passed between two designers working on the same
template on separate machines:

"The form template you are opening has the same Template ID as a template
already on your computer. You should replace the form template on your
computer if the template you are opening is an updated version from a trusted
source. If you are not sure of the source or the content, you should keep the
template already on your computer."

The error message dialog box also presents the option to keep the older
template already on the local machine, or replace the form template with the
new template.

PROBLEM:
We need to keep both the old version and the new version of the template. If
we select "Keep Form Template on Your Computer," the new changes are lost.
If we select "Replace Form Template on Your Computer," the old version is
lost.

So, somehow, we have to assign a new Template ID to the new version of the
form, to remove the conflict.

How do you assign a new Template ID to an existing template? Or, is there
some other way to retain both versions, so that both can be opened and
modified by multiple designers?

STEPS TO REPRODUCE:

1. Two people are working on designing a browser-compatible InfoPath form
template.
2. User A works on the template, and saves it, then sends it via Outlook to
the User B for additional work.
3. User B saves the template to their local machine (without changing the
filename).
4. User B then opens the template in InfoPath and selects "Tools > Design
This Form" to open Design Mode for the template.
5. User B then saves the template to a different file name on the local
machine.
6. User B then opens the newly-created (copy) template in InfoPath, in
Design Mode.
7. User B makes some changes to the template and saves the new template
(with the new file name).
8. User B then sends the new template to User A via Outlook.
9. User A then attempts to open the template, which generates the error
message described above.

NOTE: The same error message occurs even if the file name is not changed.

Thanks!!

 

[Frederik Van Lierde]

If you have to keep both version, change the template name.
Having 2 versions is like have having 2 different templates.

If you export the Source Files, under manifest you can do this, or
just Save As.

Frederik Van Lierde
http://BlueInfoPath.wordpress.com

Twitter: http://Twitter.com/SilverSands_IT

 

[owave_tw]

Hi, Frederik -

We have been renaming the templates all along, and still get the error
message. Changing the name somehow does not create the "Saved As" file as a
new template, but rather as a version of the original template. The only way
we have found around this so far, is to create an entirely new template from
scratch, which is not practical in this case.

Perhaps creating template "parts" would be a solution? I will try that and
post the results.

Regards,

owave_tw

 

[darkstar]

The best way to track versions of the same template is to work on a
single file in a collaboration environment such as SharePoint, where
users have to check out/check in when editing. Otherwise, you have
the situation you're in, where multiple versions of the same template
cause conflict. Renaming does not solve the problem since the
templates are identified using a GUID system invisible to the user.

If you must keep intermediate versions and you don't have SharePoint,
you can save older versions on separate disks or computers, back them
up to removable media, and clear the InfoPath cache when you want to
open "foreign" versions of the same template - otherwise you will be
forced to keep one version only when opening the file. You can clear
the cache by selecting the offending template in All Forms on the
Getting Started splash screen and clicking on 'Remove this form' or
you can clear the entire cache by executing "Infopath /cache clearall"
in the program's directory via a cmd window.

 

[owave_tw]

Hi, Darkstar -

Thank you for your reply. Your answer helps to some degree, as we will have
a SharePoint installation later next month. In the meantime, we need to be
able to hand forms back and forth between designers (a primary designer and
her assistant), who will then each add modifications to the forms with each
pass.

Is there anyway to change the GUID for each version of the form?

In some cases, we can work around this by creating "Template Parts," and
passing those back and forth during the design process. This does not work
for all of our current requirements, however.

Thanks again, everyone, for your help on this issue.

Best regards!

owave_tw

 

[darkstar]

You can try File > Properties in design mode and reset the urn in the
ID field (it looks like it's timestamped for uniqueness). I haven't
tried this myself, but let us know if it works for you.

 

[Kelly]

Hi,

I seem to have problems changing the Template ID. I can change it from this

urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:infopath:Request-For-Information:-myXSD-2009-01-30T02-52-36

To this

urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:infopath:Request-For-Information:-myXSD-2009-01-30T02-52-91

but it always seems to revert back. Am I doing something wrong here?
Thanks

Kelly

 

[darkstar]

For one thing, the series of characters at the end of that string is a
time stamp, where the last 2 digits are seconds, so '91' wouldn't be a
valid number in that position (or any time stamp position for that
matter). Then again, that's not why it's reverting. This was a
mystery to me at first, but it looks like you first have to change or
modify the text in the Name field, then click the Reset button.
Apparently all this button does is update the 'Name' portion of the ID
with whatever is in the Name field above it.

Hope this helps.