Uploading xsn to Sharepoint Document Library

[MartyO]

Apparently I don't want to use InfoPath in the typical way. I don't want a
form library where each document is a new instance of the same form. I want
a document library where each document is the xml file of a different
template xsn file that are stored in a different document library on the
Sharepoint site.

1. I uploaded the xsn file to a document library, (did not publish to a
form library), because I only want 1 instance of that form, where mulitple
people will open that one form and fill in their piece. This document library
is where I will keep the templates instead of on my local drive or network
drive.
Then I opened the form, filled it out, saved it and have the xml file with
data that I uploaded to a different document library (not a form library
because I want mulitple documents in this library set up the same way that
people will fill in their piece.)

I noticed that when I open the xml file from the Sharepoint folder, there is
a dialog box that flashes on my screen for a short moment and I can see that
it is getting "something" from the original directory that I have the xsn
stored locally.
How/where do I designate that the xml file look to the Sharepoint folder
that holds the templates instead of my local or network drive where the xsn
was originally created?
2. I need to make 10 more of these templates that will live in that
folder, that are slightly different. What steps do I take to create a new
one from an existing one and have it not affect the original xsn or xml file
related to it?

Thanks in advance!
Marty

 

[cwhitelm]

If I understand your question correctly, it sounds as though you want to make
the form a content type for the document library. Once done, you can set it
on the 'New' button. When the user selects it from the button, a new form
will open. The user can fill it out and save it or submit it to the document
library. the original form template is unchanged.

 

[MartyO]

Actually, no, I don't want them to click on New to get a new form... I want
them to click on the link that opens the XML file(form) that I've already
uploaded to the document library and fill in their piece of the data
necessary, save it and get out. I only need one instance of the form for this
project.
So I want a document library, not a form library, and each file in it is a
separate form (XML file) created from a separate template. Form#1 through
Form#17.

When I originally set this up, I opened my template from my network drive,
started filling in the form and saved it (the XML file). Then I uploaded it
to the document library where I want thte users to go in and update the data
in the form. What I should have done first is upload the template to the
SharePoint document library where I want to keep the templates, then open the
template, fill in the form and save it to the Sharepoint doc lib where I want
the forms to live, because now the form is referrencing the template on my
network drive instead of the Sharepoint doc lib where the template lives now.

What I want to do now is tell the form (the XML file) that the template is
in a different place. In other words, I don't need to tell a "form library"
where the template is, I need to tell the XML document where the template is.
Is this possible?

Thanks so much. Sorry about all of the words, this one is hard to explain.
Marty