Enable a custom task pane
A custom task pane is an .html file whose content is displayed in the Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003 task pane when a user fills out a form. Custom task panes can provide form-specific commands and Help content. Before enabling a custom task pane, you must first create an .html file by using an HTML editor such as Microsoft FrontPage. You can add a custom task pane file directly to your form template, so users can work with the form and task pane while offline, or you can link the custom task pane to the form from another location.
Enable a custom task pane that is part of the form template
- In design mode, click Form Options on the Tools menu, and then click the Advanced tab.
- Select the Enable custom task pane check box.
- In the Task pane name box, enter the name that you want to appear at the top of the custom task pane.
- Click Resource Manager.
- In the Resource Manager dialog box, click Add.
- In the Add File dialog box, browse to and select the .html file you want.
- If the .html file you added references additional files, such as cascading style sheet (.css) files, repeat steps 4 and 5 to add those files.
- In the Form Options dialog box, click the .html file you want in the Task pane location box.
- To test the custom task pane, click Preview Form on the standard toolbar.
Enable a custom task pane that is linked to the form template
Note Linking creates an absolute path to the custom task pane. Make sure the location of your custom task pane is available to all the users who fill out the form.
- In design mode, click Form Options on the Tools menu, and then click the Advanced tab.
- Select the Enable custom task pane check box.
- In the Task pane name box, enter the name that you want to appear at the top of the custom task pane.
- In the Task Pane Location box, type the absolute path for the location of the task pane (.html) file.
- To test the custom task pane, click Preview Form on the standard toolbar.