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Load InfoPath Data from SmartObject

  • April 25, 2008
  • 4 replies
  • 16 views
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I understand that the preferred method of loading up an InfoPath form with SmartObject data is to pass the Id of the smart object to the form and have it invoke the SmartObject's 'Load' method to grab the data.  That is all well and good, but I had a simpler idea for a very straight-forward, read-only scenario and I can't figure out why it doesn't work.  Here is what I am doing:


Drag out a Smart Object event (on a process integrated with an InfoPath form), tie it to the 'Load' method and include the Id parameter.  In the return values dialog, associate each return value with the corrisponding value in the InfoPath XML data fields.  Seems like a good way to fill the InfoPath data without any code (and keeping the InfoPath form dumb) but it doesn't work - I get an 'Object Reference not set to an instance of an object' error on the event without any further information.  I have verified that none of the return values are null, so I can only conclude that for some reason the InfoPath xml field is not instantiated yet?  I dunno, I can't figure out why this doesn't work and it would be a real time-saver to do it this way.  Anybody have any ideas?

    4 replies

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    That would certainly make the InfoPath side of things cleaner. Doesn't it defeat the point of SmartObjects though, since you are now storing data in your XML fields?
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    • tbyrne
    • Author
    • April 25, 2008
    I'm using smart objects to persist the data for reporting purposes, and to help propogate the data through my workflow (where it is typically read only, as a reference to the user).  It is not a good practice to rely on InfoPath to be your data source, particularly when assigning InfoPath client tasks to multiple slots as it makes a copy of the InfoPath form for each slot.
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    • japergis
    • April 26, 2008

    Tim,


     


    How is the process initiated?  Is it initiated by an InfoPath form?  It does not sound like it.  There could be an error with referencing the process level XML because it is null, or something else.  Hard to tell from here without seeing a process definition.


     


    However here is my two cents.  I really would not populate the InfoPath XML in the K2 process.  For all my processes I integrate the SmartObject method into the InfoPath form, call the method and then update main data source via rules when the InfoPath form is opened.  If you have lots of data, yes you have to do a lot of clicking but one of developers recently just cracked open the .xsn, went to the manifest and just built the rules manually and did it in 10 mins.  We had 50 fields.


     


    The real reason why you may want to do this is because if you InfoPath form is referencing data that may be updated by other places, there is a possibility that an InfoPath process may sit for two days and by the time the users opens up the form the data is old.


     


    Another issue you will run into is if they have collections of repeating data they need to populate into their form.  You cannot do that with a SmartObject event on the K2 process definition.  If you wanted to do the population of repeating data in the XML, you will have to write some custom code.  This is not the case when using the SmartObject method directly on the form.


     


    So my best practice is to do what you are trying to do on the form.


     


    As well, if you really want to try to figure out what is going on, try writing a code event handler using the SmartObject API and populate the XML.


     


    Jason

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    • tbyrne
    • Author
    • April 28, 2008
    Thank you Jason, you made a good case for moving that logic to the form.  I was hoping to avoid this approach, as it just seems a bit tedious, but it looks like it would pay off in the long run particularly when opening the form outside of the process (didn't think of that).
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