A Sharepoint Data Connection Library is a library which can contain 2 kinds of data-connections, that is, an Office Data-Connection (abbreviated as ODC) file or Universal Data Connection (abbreviated as UDC) file.
Microsoft InfoPath-2010 uses data connections which comply with Universal Data Connection file schema & typically have a *.xml or *.udcx file name extension. The data sources which are described by the data connections are usually stored on a server and may be used in browser enabled form templates and standard form templates. Using data connections in browser enabled InfoPath form-templates introduces potential manageability & authentication issues.
Microsoft SharePoint collaboration software basically provides enterprise scale capabilities in order to meet business critical needs like managing content & business processes, simplifying the way people find & share information, and enabling well informed decisions.
Procedure:
Uploading data-connection files to the data connection-library will enable the InfoPath form-templates to use data sources which are described by the files in order to submit and retrieve information.
Creating a SharePoint Data Connection Library:
- Browse to a SharePoint-Server site which you’ve Design permissions. If you’re on root site, you can create a site before continuing with the following step.
- On the Site’s Action menu, click on More Options.
- On the Create-page, click the Library which is under Filter By, & click Data-Connection Library.
- On the Create page’s right side, type the name for library, and click Create button.
- Copy URL of your new data-connection library.
Creating a new data-connection file on InfoPath
- Open the InfoPath Designer, click the Blank Form, and click Design Form
- On Data tab, click the Data Connections, and click Add
- In Data Connection-Wizard, click the Create new connection, then click Receive data, & click Next
- Click the type of data source which you’re connecting to, like web service, Database or SharePoint library/list, and click Next
- Complete remaining steps in Data Connection Wizard so as to configure the data connection, & click Finish in order to return to Data Connection-dialog-box
- In Data-Connection-dialog box, click the Convert-to-Connection File
- In Convert Data-Connections dialog-box, enter URL of your-data connection library which you previously copied (remember to delete the “Forms, AllItems.aspx” & anything that follows it from URL), enter the name for data connections file at the end-of the URL, and click OK. It’ll take just a few moments to-convert and save data connections file to library
- Confirm that the data-connection was successfully converted by examining Details section of Data Connection-dialog box while name of converted data-connection is selected.
- Browse to SharePoint data connection library, click drop down which is next to the name-of the data-connection & then click Reject/Approve, click Approved, and click OK.
How to use a data-connection file on InfoPath:
- Open InfoPath Designer, click the Blank Form, and click Design Form.
Note:
If you wish to use data connection file in order to specify a main data-source of the form template, you may use only the file which specifies the Database or the Web service connection. If you wish to specify a main data-source from 1 of the connections, click on the Data Connection-File instead of the Blank Form, and proceed to the third step.
- On Data menu, click on the Data Connections, and click Add.
- In Data Connection-Wizard, click on the Search-for connections on MS Office SharePoint-Server, and click Next.
- If the website where you had created the-data connection library isn’t listed in Site drop down list, you can click on Manage Sites, and click Add in order to add-it to this list.
- Select the website where you had created the data connection-library-in the Site drop down-list, expand name of data connection library-and select data connection, and click Next.
- Complete configuring your data connection in Data Connection-Wizard as necessary for this type of connection you’ve selected, click Finish, & then close Data-Connections dialogue box.
After you have finished creating the SharePoint Data Connection Library, you can add some controls-to the form, and Preview that form so as to ensure that the data is returned.
