Show/Hide Optional Section

[Chris D]

Hi - I'm a newbie so please have patience. I want to use an Optional Section
to display/hide instructions pertaining to a form. I can have the
instructions initially hidden but the moment the section shows all i can do
is copy or delete it. I just want to be able to hide it again. Thoughts???
Thx ... c

 

[Frank Mueller \(MSFT\)]

Hi Chris,

there are several solutions to this problem. Let me outline two that I like:

1. Displaying the instructions in a task pane

You could simply write a little HTML instruction document in Word or
your editor of choice. Then when
you design your form in InfoPath click on Tools > Form Options >
Programming and add your HTML
file as a custom task pane. When the users fills out the form they will
see the instructions in a taskpane
next to your form.

2. Hide section based on filled field

Rather than using an optional section you could use a "regular" section.
Now assume you want the instructions
to disappear once field5 is filled in. Double-click the section and
select Display > Conditional Formatting.
Click on Add and create a rule that when field5 is not blank it should
hide the control. So as long as there
is not information in field5 the instructions are visible.

Hope you like one of these approaches.
Thanks,
Frank

 

[Chris D]

Huge thanks. Like #1!! ... c

Hi Chris,

there are several solutions to this problem. Let me outline two that I like:

1. Displaying the instructions in a task pane

You could simply write a little HTML instruction document in Word or
your editor of choice. Then when
you design your form in InfoPath click on Tools > Form Options >
Programming and add your HTML
file as a custom task pane. When the users fills out the form they will
see the instructions in a taskpane
next to your form.

2. Hide section based on filled field

Rather than using an optional section you could use a "regular" section.
Now assume you want the instructions
to disappear once field5 is filled in. Double-click the section and
select Display > Conditional Formatting.
Click on Add and create a rule that when field5 is not blank it should
hide the control. So as long as there
is not information in field5 the instructions are visible.

Hope you like one of these approaches.
Thanks,
Frank