Datasheet

Component Description
Error handling Event handlers, OM calls, and form definition file entries used to handle errors.
Security Security levels that restrict access to the OM and system resources.
Data submission Predefined functions that can be used to implement custom posting and
submission.
Business logic Scripts to implement editing behavior, data validation, event handlers, and
control of data flow. The logic can also access external COM components.
Form integration Integration with other Office applications and SQL Server, SharePoint, or XML
Web services.
Microsoft Script Editor
InfoPath includes the Microsoft Script Editor IDE (Integrated Development Environment) creating and
debugging code, together with programming languages that you can use to extend your applications.
However, while other Office applications use Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) as their primary pro-
gramming language, InfoPath uses two scripting languages—JScript and VBScript.
JScript is an interpreted, object-based language that is the Microsoft implementation of the ECMA 262
language specification. VBScript is a subset of the Microsoft Visual Basic. However, while you have a
choice of languages, you cannot mix the two languages in a single form.
You can set the default language for a form in the design mode interface. When you open Microsoft
Script Editor (MSE) from InfoPath in design mode, the MSE code editor appears and the form’s default
scripting file opens in the code editing window.
In debug mode, you can use all of the debugging features that MSE provides, including using break-
points, stepping through program statements, and viewing any of the debugging windows.
Introducing the Design User Interface
InfoPath has separate modes for the two distinct tasks of filling out and designing forms. Design mode
is the environment in which you create or modify a form template.
Before getting into the details of form architecture in the next chapter, we’d like you to take a quick look
at the InfoPath user interface, with an emphasis on the design mode features. So if you haven’t already
done so, why not start InfoPath and take a short tour with us?
Start by opening the form template called Absence Request that comes with InfoPath. To open the form,
click the
More Forms button on the Fill Out a Form task pane, and choose the form on the Sample
Forms
tab of the dialog box. The usual path of the form template files is C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\OFFICE11\1033\INFFORMS\1033\.
6
Chapter 1
01 557130 Ch01.qxd 3/18/04 3:59 PM Page 6