Datasheet

Figure 1-2: The form area in design mode.
The Task Pane Area
You can locate the task pane anywhere you like; it can be moved, resized, docked or floated, opened or
closed, just like other Office applications. Depending on the context, task panes can contain commands
for switching views, formatting options, and inserting form controls. They can also contain, help text,
hyperlinks, or clip art.
When you design a form, you can create custom task panes that will be available to your users when
they fill out your form. Custom task panes consist of an HTML file and can also contain form-specific
content, such as command buttons and data catalogs.
When you design a form, your options include choosing between creating a new form or modifying a
sample. New forms can be built from scratch, starting with a blank form and adding controls. If you cre-
ate a new form from a data source, you have the option to base the form on an XML schema, a database,
or a Web service. See Figure 1-3.
Design Tasks
The design mode task pane, shown in Figure 1-4, provides several options, three of which you’ll review
here:
❑ Layout
❑ Controls
❑ Data Source
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