Microsoft Sharepoint Products and Technologies Resource Kit eBook

1042 Part X: Microsoft Office 2003 Integration with SharePoint Products and Technologies
When you receive and open an InfoPath form, InfoPath reads a processing
instruction in the XML document to determine the location of the form template that
the XML document is based on. If this is the first time you have accessed the form
template, it is downloaded to the local cache for form templates. If there is a locally
cached copy of the form template and it is older than the copy on the server, the
cached copy is updated from the server.
Form Libraries
Form libraries provide the primary integration point between Windows SharePoint
Services and InfoPath. Form libraries are located on Windows SharePoint Services
sites and act as a file server, where users can fill out and store forms based on the
same form template.
A form library is a special type of document library that can contain and promote
any information from an XML file. All documents stored within it are based on
a specified XML document. In InfoPath, all forms in the library are based on an Info-
Path form template. In a nutshell, form libraries provide a simple way to use and
share InfoPath 2003 forms. An example of a form library is shown in Figure 39-4.
F39XR04
Figure 39-4 Form library that stores InfoPath forms, default view
Because only one form template is associated with each form library, every
form created from the library has the same structure and appearance. For example,
you could create a form library that provides a single location for your team members
to quickly fill out, save, and view their expense report forms.
The form library is the main distribution point for a specified InfoPath form
template; it allows the form to be maintained, deployed, and shared for use by the
members of an organization. The template for a form library must be stored in the
Forms folder of the library that is based on it. The default name for the form template
for a library is template.xml (or template.xsn for packaged InfoPath templates).