Re: InfoPath and Access

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From: Jim Buyens (news_at_interlacken.com)
Date: 09/18/04 

Date: 17 Sep 2004 17:04:36 -0700

Good question, but I'm having trouble with it for two reasons.

o I don't know what you mean by "connect InfoPath to the DB".
   For example, do you mean for input, for data validation, for
   populating dropdown lists, or what?

o I'm getting a little out of my current depth, here. I know that
   InfoPath can access Web services, and I know that the content
   of SharePoint lists is available via Web services, but I'm not
   at all sure of the details yet.

One suggestion is to try the following URL, which searches all
Microsoft public newsgroups for articles containing the words
SharePoint and InfoPath. Once you get the initial display, you
can experiment with additional keywords to pare down the list.

http://groups.google.com/groups?meta=group%3Dmicrosoft.public.*&
q=sharepoint+infopath

Of course, you can also stay on this thread and explain what you mean
by "connect InfoPath to the DB". This may trigger some thought on my
part, or that of some other lurker.

Jim Buyens
Microsoft FrontPage MVP
http://www.interlacken.com
Author of:
*----------------------------------------------------
|\---------------------------------------------------
|| Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 Inside Out
||---------------------------------------------------
|| Web Database Development Step by Step .NET Edition
|| Microsoft FrontPage Version 2002 Inside Out
|| Faster Smarter Beginning Programming
|| (All from Microsoft Press)
|/---------------------------------------------------
*----------------------------------------------------

"Gary" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:<09b601c49cba$0e1c6ad0$a501280a@phx.gbl>...
> Great thread this requirement has just become necessary in
> my organization. I was able to get steps 1-5 to work but
> how do you connect Infopath to the DB after you send it to
> WSS? Or do you connect InfoPath in advance then export the
> DB to WSS and create a WSS Library for InfoPath Form?
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> ><anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:<044a01c49b66$90ced4e0$a301280a@phx.gbl>...
> >> Thanks for getting back to me Jim! Basically, I built a
> >> couple forms and linked them to an Access DB through
> the
> >> data source in order to track projects between my
> company
> >> and another one. You would fill out the info and hit
> the
> >> submit button to drop it in two tables in the DB.
> >
> >Is this an Access application, or a set of ASP or ASP.NET
> pages,
> >or what?
> >
> >> I need
> >> to make this system available on Sharepoint services
> which
> >> I have, and I need to have it linked to the DB still
> >> someplace other than my machine so that people can
> submit
> >> details wherever and whenever they are.
> >
> >If I were you, I'd try implementing the application as
> one or
> >more SharePoint lists, with SharePoint data entry forms.
> >
> >If you need more control over data input, data access, or
> >security then you'd need to learn how to create your own
> >Web Parts (which I suspect would be difficult for you) or
> >develop an ASP or ASP.NET app and run it on a conventional
> >Web server.
> >
> >> I was wondering,
> >> after lifting .mdb restrictions, would I want to place
> the
> >> DB on the sharepoint server with the forms?
> >
> >To avoid the security risks of permitting "raw" access to
> >the Access database over the Internet.
> >
> >> I tried
> >> exporting the tables in question, but I got an error
> >> message saying the site must be running Windows
> Sharepoint
> >> Services by Microsoft, which it in fact is.
> >
> >This is curious, because I tried the saem thing myself
> just
> >now and it worked fine. You
> >
> >1. Open the db in Access.
> >2. Right-click the table and choose Export.
> >3. Set Save As Type to Windows SharePoint Services.
> >4. Specity the URL of the SharePoint Web site.
> >5. Click Finish.
> >
> >> I also tried
> >> the second method and got the same response. In a
> >> nutshell, I am trying to get what I can do from my
> station
> >> here (open the form, input/change data, submit the form
> to
> >> the DB) available on Sharepoint Services site. Thanks!
> >
> >Again, try steps 1-5 above. Also, make sure you're a Web
> Designer or
> >Administrator on the SharePoint site.
> >
> >Jim Buyens
> >Microsoft FrontPage MVP
> >http://www.interlacken.com
> >Author of:
> >*----------------------------------------------------
> >|\---------------------------------------------------
> >|| Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 Inside Out
> >||---------------------------------------------------
> >|| Web Database Development Step by Step .NET Edition
> >|| Microsoft FrontPage Version 2002 Inside Out
> >|| Faster Smarter Beginning Programming
> >|| (All from Microsoft Press)
> >|/---------------------------------------------------
> >*----------------------------------------------------
> >
> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >Howdy.
> >> >
> >> >I'm having a bit of trouble visualizing your setup.
> >> >
> >> >o How are the InfoPath users getting access to the
> >> > Access database? By file sharing? By having a
> >> > local copy?
> >> >
> >> >o How is the collected form data getting out of the
> >> > SharePoint form library and into the Access
> database?
> >> >
> >> >o Have you considered making all (or at least some) of
> >> > the tables in your Access database SharePoint lists?
> >> >
> >> > You can export data to your SharePoint site by
> >> > selecting the Access table, choosing Export from
> >> > the File menu, and setting the Save As Type to
> >> > Windows SharePoint Services().
> >> >
> >> > You can make a SharePoint list appear to be part
> >> > of a local Access database by choosing File,
> >> > Get External Data, Link Tables, and then setting
> >> > Files Of Type to Windows SharePoint Services().
> >> >
> >> > With this second method (linking) I presume you can
> >> > link to the SharePoint form library that contains
> >> > your submitted InfoPath forms. Any InfoPath fields
> >> > you include as library fields will then be available
> >> > through the linked table in Access.
> >> >
> >> >Jim Buyens
> >> >Microsoft FrontPage MVP
> >> >http://www.interlacken.com
> >> >Author of:
> >> >*----------------------------------------------------
> >> >|\---------------------------------------------------
> >> >|| Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 Inside Out
> >> >||---------------------------------------------------
> >> >|| Web Database Development Step by Step .NET Edition
> >> >|| Microsoft FrontPage Version 2002 Inside Out
> >> >|| Faster Smarter Beginning Programming
> >> >|| (All from Microsoft Press)
> >> >|/---------------------------------------------------
> >> >*----------------------------------------------------
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >>-----Original Message-----
> >> >>Hello Folks,
> >> >>I have created a form library for an InfoPath form I
> have
> >> >>created. I want people to be able to submit the
> >> >>information entered in the form to a database I
> created
> in
> >> >>Access that acts as the data source for the form. Is
> there
> >> >>a way I can post the DB to the SharePoint Services
> portal
> >> >>in question and have it link to my forms? We want to
> be
> >> >>able to query and print out summaries is the idea.
> The
> >> >>server itself is remote from me. Thanks!
> >> >>.
> >> >>
> >> >.
> >> >
> >.
> >

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