HOWTO Publish InfoPath form to a different site without having to recreate the list it is associated to.

Question

HOWTO Publish InfoPath form to a different site without having to recreate the list it is associated to.

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Please help, I have been trying to find a way to publish an InfoPath form from one site/list to another without having to recreate the list by saving the form from the original site (Site A) as a template, and then go to the destination site (Site B), and upload the template, and create a new list from it. This link below explains this "In the Box" feature of SharePoint:

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http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/sr-Latn-CS/sharepoint2010customization/thread/1fe20da5-6011-458d-8e09-29ce33f48e37

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The problem I face is that I do not want to have to delete the destination site/list, just to get changes put in. For example, if I add new "On Load" rules to the InfoPath form on (Site A), I can nto get those changes to (Site B) as best I can determine, without destroying the list on (Site B) and recreating it from a template made on (Site A) after-the-chnages are published. And things like rules in particular, as well as data connections, even SOAP data connection, can not be cut/copy/pasted from one InfoPath session, to another.

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This is very troubling, as basically if there is no solution (In the Box or otherwise), then InfoPath development on list-forms, can only be done at the time of creation of the list.

Surely there must be some "In the Box" way to forward InfoPath form changes from one site to another without having to destroy the list? I can envision means of creating a new list, and copying items from the old list (Site B) to the new list (also Site B), but still the old list becomes worthless, and should be destroyed. And besides copying of items (data), how does the whole security setup on the old list get duplicated without manual effort to the new list?

Answer 1

Why are you saying you have to destroy a list in order to re-use the form template?  I don't know what you're referring to.

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SharePoint Architect || Microsoft MVP || My Blog
Planet Technologies || SharePoint Task Force

Answer 2

Currently, the only way I can take a form made for a list with InfoPath from one list, to another, whether on the same site/farm or not, is to use SharePoint's export list as template. Then go to the target farm/site, import the list template. Then destroy the target list, including any/all items, create a new list from the list template. There seems to be no way for InfoPath or SharePoint, to just gather differences from a form, and import/update them. Even cut/copy/paste from InfoPath itself is not an option, as things on a form like rules/actions, can not be copied from one InfoPath form session, to another InfoPath form session.

Answer 3

I have confirmed from Microsoft, Solution Id: S2011031707563469, that SharePoint by design, has no means to solve this issue. That is, SharePoint has no means, "Out of the Box" to let one work on a Form made with InfoPath 2010, and be able to merge/copy/paste update/changes on the form from one list, to another, whether on the same site/farm or otherwise. Refer to Microsoft's Solution Id: S2011031707563469 for more information. Hopefully, this thread can spare others from falling into this trap. As it means, that people will have to work on the form in production, to make changes. To forum moderators, please refer to Solution Id: S2011031707563469, in case this information is incorrect.

Answer 4

Man, do you really make that many tickets with Microsoft?  I've never seen this type of activity before.  I'm not sure if you're getting InfoPath product team members at your disposal when you're submitting all the tickets with Microsoft.  Do you know if you are?  I don't agree with the resolution, because I don't have any problem moving lists with list forms to another site.  I have NEVER had to "destroy" any list for this to happen.

You'r 2nd requirement of merging changes to forms or something is a completely separate topic and is definitely not an available option.

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SharePoint Architect || Microsoft MVP || My Blog
Planet Technologies || SharePoint Task Force

Answer 5

Currently, the only way I can take a form made for a list with InfoPath from one list, to another, whether on the same site/farm or not, is to use SharePoint's export list as template. Then go to the target farm/site, import the list template. Then destroy the target list, including any/all items, create a new list from the list template. There seems to be no way for InfoPath or SharePoint, to just gather differences from a form, and import/update them. Even cut/copy/paste from InfoPath itself is not an option, as things on a form like rules/actions, can not be copied from one InfoPath form session, to another InfoPath form session.

It is not only for "Sharepoint List Form" type/compatibility of Infopath forms but also for "Workflow Form" types of IP forms. Both types are based on unmodifiable, un-reusable, inaccessible, unsaveable to file, impossible to create manually (by wizard) Main Data Connections 

It is possible also to export source files from an Infopath template and substitute manually URLs (and IDs)(mainly in manifest.xsf and view1.xsl) but this method fails for template associated with a sharepoint list having lookup field(s) (to other lists) or when it is desirable to (re)publish the same template to more than one list in the same site.

Exporting/importing templates approach leads to  loosing the content of lookup fields and doesn't really work for more-or-less production scope complexity cases

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Gennady Vanin (Novosibirsk) -- Геннадий Ванин (Новосибирск) Currently posting in context of developing against Office 365 (Sharepoint 2010 Online) Plan E3 trial from 32-bit (x86) Windows XP SP3 Engl. using Infopath Designer 2010, Sharepoint Designer 2010 and Internet Explorer 8