domain security / distributing infopath forms

[Christian Bahnsen]

The problem I’m running in to is “domain security.”

Here’s the scenario: I’m developing an InfoPath form that will be part of
an overall solution. The form is essentially a stand-alone data collection
tool (i.e., it doesn’t have any data connections to a database but does have
resource files that are used to populate dropdown lists). The user will fill
in the form then save it to their local file system if they’re offline, to a
shared folder if logged onto their network. Data will be extracted from the
form/xml later by an external visual basic routine, parsed and verified, then
inserted into a SQL database.

I’m developing the form on my laptop using InfoPath 2007. I’ve saved (but
not published) several versions as the form has evolved. I’ve copied saved
versions to my website so my client can review the prototypes and give me
feedback. This worked fine while the form was InfoPath-2003 compatible. See
www.christianbahnsen.com/district5/xml_documents/basic_report_ver4.xsn as an
example.

But when I saved the form as InfoPath 2007 we now have the problem that my
client can’t open the form due to “domain security.” Try opening
www.christianbahnsen.com/district5/xml_documents/basic_report_ver4_5.xsn and
you should see what I mean.

How can I enable my client to open the prototypes?

My plan is for the form template to eventually reside in a folder on a
shared drive in my client’s network. End-users will copy the folder to their
laptops so as to have local copies of the form they can open and fill in
offline. They’ll save the completed forms to their local drives. When they
reconnect to the network the completed forms will be moved to a shared
folder. The data from these completed forms will be extracted by a visual
basic program, parsed and error-checked, then the VB program will insert data
into a SQL table. The source xml file will then be archived to a folder.

How will the “domain security” issue affect the process as described? It
seems like InfoPath templates don’t like to be moved around from one location
to another, unlike, say, a Word document file. The completed form files,
saved as xml, don’t seem to object to being moved around.

I tried setting the Security Level (Tools | Form Options | Security and
Trust) manually to Restricted, but the form wouldn’t open at all (probably
due to the Resource Files). Theoretically I could Digitally Sign the form,
but I suspect that wouldn’t work for this client because my existing
certificate was issued by the Department of Defense and this client is not
part of DoD.

Would Installable Form Templates solve this problem?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

--
Christian Bahnsen