7 questions about code usage in your InfoPath forms

[Nick Dallett [MSFT]]

I've got a few questions about how you use code in InfoPath. If you'd take
a few minutes to answer these and give me your opinions, it would be much
appreciated. Consider each question open - give me as much detail as you
like.

-Nick Dallett,
Lead program manager,
Microsoft Office InfoPath

1. In what capacity do you use InfoPath? (ex: building forms for your own
small department, building forms as a consultant in healthcare, etc.)

2. How many forms do you build in a year?

3. What is the lifetime of a typical form that you build? (For example, is
it typically useful for <= 1 year and is then rewritten, or is a single form
used over an extended period and updated periodically?)

4. What languages do you use when building InfoPath forms? Indicate how
often you use each:
- Jscript
- VBScript
- C#
- VB
- C# (Infopath 2003 compatible)
- VB (InfoPath 2003 compatible)


5. If you use JScript or VBScript, what motivates you to use one scripting
language over another?

6. How do you debug script in general (including web pages, gadgets, and
other script environments)? Can you describe your experience debugging
script in InfoPath with the Microsoft Script Editor?

7. If you use JScript or VBScript, do you have a roadmap for moving all code
to .NET, or do you anticipate using script indefinitely? What is the
roadmap for forms that you create?

 

[Greg Collins]

1. I build forms as a consultant to other companies (small to Fortune 500;
HR, Healthcare, Religious, you-name-it).
2. Various -- maybe 10-20 a year.
3. Most have a lifetime of 6mo - 2years before requiring upgrades.
4. C#07, C#03
5. JScript - I like this much better than VBScript (though VBScript has some
nice functions missing from JScript)
6. Debug script mostly using Visual Studio. I don't like the MSE for
debugging as it lacks many nice features available in VS.
7. I'm stuck using JS in the IP Task pane until MS allows for C# in the task
pane. Web design is C# and ASP.NET unless I need client side code, which is
JS.

 

[kb at donovanhill]

Answers to 7 questions:-
1. Building forms for small company of 40 staff, that integrates with
SharePoint environment.

2. Only just started, but I would assume 10-15 per year.

3. I hope over 1 year.

4. VB.net for all forms.

5. I use VB.net due to past usage of VBA & other applications within our
office that use VB.net.

6. Visual Studio 2005. Just easy to use.

7. NA.

 

[Dibs]

1. I build forms as a consultant for government organisations.
2. I have just started. It will be to the tune of 150-200 forms per year.
3. Mixed.., Some forms last for a long duration if rules do not change. Some
are rendered invalid after 6 months.
4. I mainly use C#
5. VBScript, mainly due to my compliance with asp
6. I don't like the MSE
7. Web design is C# and ASP.NET . For client side code nothing is better
than Javascript. I think Javascript should also be included in the
programming options.

Dibs

 

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

1. Consultant/advisor and support engineer (mostly government).
2. I don't build many forms, but troubleshoot forms others have built and
give advice on using/programming in InfoPath. The amount that I myself might
build would probably be around 3-5 each year.
3. 1-2 years
4. All the above in no particular order or preference, but C# in IP 2007
would be on the #1 spot for me.
5. Since I can write code with both, I do not have a preference, but can
imagine that previous experiences with similar languages (e.g. use VBScript
if you've used classic ASP or Visual Basic, and use JScript if you've used
JavaScript, Java, or C++/C#) would make someone prefer one above the other;
the VBScript code camp is still large. And a second reason would be if you
are able to do a particular task in one language that you cannot do in the
other.
6. The classic way using message boxes to debug scripts. Debugging in MSE
can be a pain.
7. In my neck of the woods, companies tend to go along with technology, so
as new technology is preferred above old, .NET languages are used to build
new form templates. However, some tasks still require scripting, in which
case JavaScript is used. I'm rarely involved in transitioning, so cannot
comment on that.

Hope this helps.