How to: Connect to a database

Continuing my how to series. I was asked to show how to link to a database, so this demo shows using the data connection wizard from the Design a Form screen and from inside an existing form.

If you have any requests for more demos in this series, let me know.

If you'd like to learn more about InfoPath, check out my blog at http://blogs.technet.com/jessmeats

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• how to
• InfoPath
• InfoPath 2007
• forms
• data connections
• database

[JimfromIndy]

Jess, How do I attach an Access Database (table or query?) as a secondary data source so I can make it the record source in a drop-down box?

[JessMeats]

@JimfromIndy Open up the Manage Data Connections dialog (as shown towards the end of the video), click new and go through the wizard to create the read data source. Once you've done that, add your drop-down list to the form. Right-click and go to the properties dialog. There's an option to get choices from an external data source. You can pick your database from the dropdown.

[MsShouga]

Hi , Ms. Jess,

would you please continue the database connection, how to add the feild from anthor table to the form and is it possible to do some changing on the form like formatting and adding any type of the controls such as text box, check box...etc

Thank you very much for your greate help

[JessMeats]

In the wizard for setting up a connection to the database, you're asked to pick the database. On that same screen, on the right, is a button labelled Add Table. You just click on this and pick a second table. Make sure the check box is ticked to show table fields and you can pick exactly which fields to include.

You can do all the formating and changing of controls that you could do on any other InfoPath form (see my other videos).

[TigerOscar78]

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[tibas1960]

I am trying to connect an access database however, when I run the querey or try to submit a new record I get a warning indicating "infopath cannot connect to data source". Could you provide assistance in this respect?