Importing InfoPath files

How Designer converts Microsoft InfoPath objects
Differences between Designer and InfoPath objects

You can import Microsoft InfoPath files (XSN) into Designer. During the conversion process, Designer extracts these components from the input file and uses them to create Designer XML elements:

An XML file describing the contents of the package
An XML file describing the InfoPath form
XSL files describing each view
A schema file for the InfoPath form
A script file, which is saved as comments in the Designer XML source code

Designer displays the file import options each time you import an InfoPath file.

Select File > Open.
From the Files Of Type list, select InfoPath (XSN).
Navigate to the file that you want to open, select the file, and click Open.
Do one of the following actions:
- If you want to be prompted for a view, select the Prompt To Select View During Conversion option. If the InfoPath file has only one view, a prompt will not display even if you select this option.
- If you know the name of the view that you want to import, type the name of the view in the View box. To convert the default view, leave the box blank.
Do one of the following actions:
- Select the Import Print Settings option to import headers and footers, page orientation, and page margins of the InfoPath form.
- If you know the page size of the InfoPath form, select one from the list or select Default.
- If you know the page orientation of the InfoPath form, select one from the list.
Note: If you select the Import Print Settings option, the page size and orientation are taken from the InfoPath form and you do not have to select the page size and orientation.
(Optional) Select an option from the Generate A Log File list.
(Optional) To convert and embed any images into the form design, select Embed Images In XDP.
Click OK.

Note: Designer uses Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later to transfer data while importing an InfoPath file. If you do not have Internet Explorer installed, you cannot import an InfoPath file into Designer.

How Designer converts Microsoft InfoPath objects

Designer preserves the layout when converting a Microsoft InfoPath file. However, you may need to do some manual repositioning of objects afterward to make the form look as good as possible.

The table identifies the key objects in an InfoPath form and indicates how Designer treats them when they are imported.

Item	Converted	Not Converted
Controls	Text boxes, including rich text boxes, are converted to text fields. Drop-down list boxes are converted to drop-down list boxes. Values are included only if the control is filled manually. List boxes are converted to list boxes. Date picker controls are converted to Date/Time fields unless the data type for the date picker in InfoPath is set to “Text (String)”. In this case, it is converted to a Text field. Check boxes are converted to check boxes. Option buttons are converted to radio buttons. Buttons are converted to buttons.	Validation rules Scrolling Images embedded in rich text boxes A group of option buttons may not be converted to a single radio button group. Submit actions for buttons are not handled Padding properties of check boxes and radio buttons Attachments Custom controls
Expression boxes		Not converted
Lists	Numbered lists are converted to text. For bulleted lists, the text only is converted to text.	Bullet symbols
Pictures	Pictures are converted to images.	Ink pictures
Schema	If the InfoPath form has been designed based on a schema, the schema is imported and binding is done automatically in Designer.
Scripts		Not converted
Scrolling regions	Scrolling regions are converted to subforms.
Sections	Sections are converted to subforms. Repeating sections are converted to repeating subforms in a form. Add and delete buttons are provided to add or delete the instance of the section when filling the form.	Include/exclude properties Instructional text Only one instance of any optional or repeating sections is converted
Tables	Tables are converted to tables. Repeating tables are converted to repeating tables in a form. Add and delete buttons are provided to add or delete the instance of the section when filling the form.	Some border styles are not supported. Only the visible rows in a repeating table are converted. Rows that have been merged vertically are converted to subforms in a positioned layout.
Text	Text is converted to text. Any highlight color is converted to background color.	Hyperlinks

Differences between Designer and InfoPath objects

Designer and InfoPath do not support the same features and object properties. The most obvious differences include these:

Images cannot be placed in Designer text fields.
Designer does not support editable sequential numbered or bulleted lists.