InfoPath

What is InfoPath?

1. Build powerful enterprise applications quickly and easily
2. Rich form Designing
3. A program to create and deploy electronic forms, Gather, Share and reuse information. like colleagues, Suppliers and Customers etc..
4. Is on XML based, its extensions are .xsn, .xml, and .xtp

An InfoPath form is a structured document that allows all users to enter different information the same way. The data entered into the form may be accessed and acted upon easily. This allows for the automation of business processes using the SharePoint Server environment.

Imagine using a Word document to handle requests. You would need a manual process of someone reading the document and then entering in the information into SharePoint or another system. Although this could be automated using a custom Office solution, using InfoPath 2010 eliminates this need.

What is a Form Template?

A form template provides the blueprint on which users fill out forms. When talking about designing a form, we are actually referring to the form template.

A form template in InfoPath is a collection of data, views, resources, and a manifest stored in a cabinet

(CAB) file, which is a compressed file format somewhat like a ZIP file.

InfoPath uses the .xsn file extension for form templates. The data resides in the underlying data source, which, as its name implies, is the source of the data.

The List is displayed in standard view. It can't be displayed .....

The List is displayed in standard view. It can't be displayed in Datasheet view for one or more of the following reasons.

A Datasheet component compatible with Microsoft SharePoint Foundation is not installed, your browser does not support ActiveX  controls, a component is not properly configured for 32 bit or 64 bit support, or support for ActiveX controls is disabled.

Observation: I have seen that most of the users face this kind of issue if they are using Internet Explorer 6.0 (IE 6)

1. Windows SharePoint Service Support options for Microsoft Office should be installed (applicable for Office 2007 as well as for Office 2010)

How to enable this option:


-Start-Control Panel-Add or Remove Programs-click on Microsoft Office and then Change
-Add/Remove Features


-Expand the Office Tools category.


-Next verify that you have both the Microsoft Office Access Web Datasheet Component and the Windows SharePoint Services Support component installed.


-If these components are not installed choose to run them from your computer and then click the Continue button and go through the installation process. You may need your Office 2007 install media.

2. Next you want to verify that you can run ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer. To do this open IE and go to the Tools menu > Internet options


3. Next click on the Security tab and for your Trusted sites click (choose Internet if you do not add your SharePoint sites to your Trusted Sites) on the Custom level button


4. Verify that you can use previously unused ActiveX controls.


5. Verify that you can download signed ActiveX controls and that you can run ActiveX controls and plug-ins.


6. The next setting is –> select "Enable" for Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting.


7. Adjust these settings accordingly and then click OK twice to return to Internet Explorer.


8. You may need to close Internet Explorer and re-open the program before your new settings take hold and become active.

Create a New Web Application From Central Administration

1. From CA Click on Application Management
2. Click on Manage web applications
3. New in the ribbon
4. Select Clasic Mode Authentication
5. Select Create a New IIS web site
6. Enter Port No or Use Default (65535)
7.Select NTLM option
8. Allow Anonymous (No)
9. Use Secure Socket Layer (No)
10. Pbulic URL as Default
11. Select Create new application pool
12. Configuarable ( Default System Administrator ex:  Mohan\ Administrator)
13. Enter Database server name
14. Enter Database name or use default
15. Select authentication type (Enter related username and password)
16. Service Application Connections (Default)
17. Customer Experience Improvement Program (No)
18. Click On Ok

You will get message Web Application Created, and you find a link (Create Site collection), Click on it.

1. Enter Title and Description
2. Select Template ( Default, Collabaration and Team Site)
3. Enter Primary Site collecction Administrator
4. Quota Template (No Quota).

Click on ok

You will get Top-Level Site Succesfully created and you find your web application url click on it. Enter the authentication credentials and click ok.

LISTS AND LIBRARIES

Depending on the template or site defi nition used to create a SharePoint site, certain lists are automatically

created. Additional lists can be created by anyone with suffi cient permissions.

The list types available depend mainly on the edition of SharePoint installed (SharePoint Foundation versus SharePoint Server) and the features activated. You can also add additional list types by installing extensions to SharePoint created by yourself or third-parties.

Libraries

• Document Library :  A place for storing doceuments or other files that you waht to share. Document libraries allow folders, versioning and checkout.
• Picture Library: Picture libraries contain picture fi les and contain predefi ned views, which include thumbnail images, slideshows, and bulk download options.
• Slide Library: Create a slide library when you want to share slides from Microsoft PowerPoint, or a compatible applications. Slide libraries also provide special features for finding, managing, and resing slides.
• Wiki Page Library: Wiki libraries form the basis of SharePoint’s Wiki functionality. They support pages, images, and automatic generation of new pages from Wiki links.
• Report Library: A place where you can easily create and manage web pages and documents to track metrics, goals and business intelligence information.
• Form Library: Designed to hold XML files, each file representing the data in a single instance of a form, such as InfoPath (like status reports or purchase orders).
• Assest Library: Asset libraries are designed to store and manage rich media fi les, including images, audio clips, and videos.
• Data Connection Library: Where you can easily share files that contains information about external data connections.

List

• Announcements:  Alist of news items, statuses and other short bits of information.
• Calendar: A calendar of upcomming meetings, deadlines or the events. Calendar information can be synchronized with Microsoft Outlook or other compatable programs.
• Contacts:  Alist of people your team works with, like customers or partners. Contacts list can synchronize with Microsoft Outlook or other compatible programs.
• Discussion Board: A place to have newsgroup discussions. Discussion boards make it easy to manage discussions threads and can be configured to require approval for all posts.
• Links: A list of web pages or other resources.
• Tasks: A place for team or personal tasks.
• Issue Tracking: List of issues or problems associated with a project or items. you can assigne, prioritize and track issue status.
• Project Tasks: Place for team or personal tasks. Project tasks lists provide a Gantt Chart view and can be opened by Microsoft Project or other compatible programs.
• Status List: Place to track and display a set of goals. Colored icons display the degree to which the goals have been achieved.
• Custom List: A blank list to which you can add your own columns and views. Use this if none of the built-in list types are similar to the list you want to make.
• Custom List in Datasheet view: A blank list which displyed as a spreadsheet int order to allow easy data entry. you can add your own columns and views. This list type requires a compatible list datasheet ActiveX controls, such as the one provided in Microsoft Office.
• Import Spreadsheet:  Create a list which duplicates the columns and data of an existing spreadsheet. Importing a spreadsheet requires Microsoft Excel or another compatible program.
• External List: Create an external list to view the data in an External content type.
• Survey: A list of questions which you would like to have people answer. Surveys allow you to quickly create questions and view graphical summaries of the responses.

Write some of diffrence betweeb List and Libraries ?

Lists:

• Can have attachments
• Have major versions only
• Do not have Check-in/Check-out features

Libraries:

• Cannot have attachments (files are directly in the library)
• Have both minor (draft) and major (published) versioning
• Have Check-in/Check-Out
• Publishing Libraries can use Page Layouts
• Have Unique Document Ids out of the box

Types Of Lists / Libraries / Sites / Pages:

1. Blank and Custom
2. Collaboration
3. Communication
4. Content
5. Data
6. Meetings
7. Search
8. Tracking