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The Content and Purpose of the .xsn FileUp to this point we have tacitly assumed that, as we manipulate parts of the InfoPath user interface, InfoPath "just works." In this chapter, we will look a little under the hood at the files the InfoPath program creates in a form template as, for example, you use the Data Source Setup Wizard, or design a new view. We will also briefly consider some aspects of how InfoPath uses these form files . The States of a Form TemplateAn InfoPath form template can exist in two forms:
When developing forms using the InfoPath user interface, you will most likely choose to work with the .xsn file. However, if you need to hand-edit any of the files that make up the form template, it is essential to extract the .xsn file into a folder before you update the form files.
The Files That Make Up a Form TemplateA typical InfoPath form template includes several of the following form files:
Each of these files will be considered in more detail later in this chapter. Unpacking a Form TemplateUnpacking a form template is straightforward. With the form template open in design mode, select the File menu, and then select the Extract Form Files option. The Browse for Folder window opens (see Figure 15.1). Figure 15.1. The Browse for Folder window.
Browse to the desired location on your hard drive or on the network. Click the Make New Folder button in the Browse for Folder window to create a new folder into which to extract the files. After the files have been extracted, individual files can be identified and, where appropriate, edited. For example, the file SimpleControls.xsn is included in the download. When the form files are extracted from the form template, you should see the same files as shown in Figure 15.2. Figure 15.2. The folder containing the form files that make up SimpleControls.xsn .
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