xml processing instructions

[Papanii]

Hi Guys,
Does anyone know of a tutorial that explains how the PI's in
infopath work? I want to create an infopath form that works with sql/xml
templates and i am having a tough time finding any resources on the subject.

--Papanii

 

[Brian Teutsch [MSFT]]

Wow, there's really not that much on the web about this. Fortunately, it's
not hard to understand, so here goes.

This is the start of an InfoPath XML file with the PIs that you should worry
about

<!-- Standard PI for any XML file. InfoPath currently reads only UTF-8
encoding -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!-- Information about the solution location and version
solutionVersion in the XML and XSF files must match
PIVersion - Currently at 1.0.0.0 for all versions of InfoPath
href - tells InfoPath where to find the form template that edits this
XML. For ease of explanation, I won't talk about the urn attribute
name - must match between the XSF and the XML. Simply a unique name for
this form
productVersion - tells what version of InfoPath created this form
<?mso-infoPathSolution solutionVersion="1.0.0.7" PIVersion="1.0.0.0"
href="http://dummy/myForm.xsn"
name="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:infopath:ipxbox:-dataFormSolution"
productVersion="11.0.6255" ?>

<!-- mso-application is used by the various Office applications when writing
XML files.
It allows XML to be opened by the correct application when downloaded in a
web browser
or double-clicked in Windows Explorer." -->
<?mso-application progid="InfoPath.Document"?>

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Papanii Okai]

Ok, I think I understand it a bit better, however I still don't know how to
integrate SQL/XML into the whole picture. I have a few xml/sql Templates
that I want to use.

--Papanii

 

[Brian Teutsch [MSFT]]

I'm pretty far from knowledgable about SQL XML Templates...

I think you would create the XSD that you expect the database to conform to.
Then, use that XSD to design the InfoPath form template. Publish it however
you want, probably to an http server or shared directory.

Now, write your template with the PIs below, such that the href points to
the published XSN. When SQL outputs the XML with your PIs, InfoPath should
open. I gueess you're probably streaming the data from an ASP or such.

Brian