InfoPath Glossary

Microsoft Office InfoPath

InfoPath Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J L M N
O P R S T U V W X

A
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absolute URL
A Universal Resource Locator (URL) that contains a full address, including the protocol, the Web server, and the path and file name.
active field
The field on a form in which the cursor is placed.
attribute field
A field in the data source that can contain data and that is an attribute (instead of an element). Attribute fields cannot contain other fields.

B
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bind
To connect a control to a field or group in the data source so that data entered into the control is saved. When a control is unbound, it is not connected to a field or group, so data entered into the control will not be saved.

C
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cascading style sheet (CSS)
Data formatting declarations that determine the appearance of specified elements in an .html or .xml file. CSS can be embedded in a Web page or .xsl file or stored in a separate .css file linked to a Web page or .xsl file.
child element
In an Extensible Markup Language (XML) tree structure, the element that is contained by the parent element.
class
The definition for an object, including its name, its properties and methods, and any events that it has. When you create an instance of a class, you create a new object with all of the characteristics defined by that class.
closed content model
A set of Extensible Markup Language (XML) document rules that states that an element in an XML document cannot include any information that is not declared in the schema that the document references.
COM
See Component Object Model.
Component Object Model (COM)
A specification developed by Microsoft for building software components that can be assembled into programs or can add functionality to existing programs running on Microsoft Windows operating systems.
conditional formatting
Changing the appearance of a control, including its visibility, based on values entered into the form.
constant
A value that is not calculated and, therefore, does not change. For example, the number 210 and the text "Quarterly Earnings" are constants. An expression, or a value resulting from an expression, is not a constant.
control
A graphical user interface object, such as a text box, check box, scroll bar, or command button, that lets users control the program. You use controls to display data or choices, perform an action, or make the user interface easier to read.
CSS
See cascading style sheet.
CSS selector
The name of the element type to which the display information applies.
custom installed form
A form that is installed with a custom setup program and that usually has access to files and settings on the computer.
custom task pane
An .html file whose content is displayed in a window next to a form. Custom task panes can provide form-specific commands and Help content.

D
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data adapter
An object used to submit data to and retrieve data from databases, Web services, and Extensible Markup Language (XML) files.
data source
The collection of fields and groups that define and store the data for an InfoPath form. Controls on the form are bound to the fields and groups in the data source.
data type
Property of a field that defines the kinds of data the field can store. Data types include Text, Rich Text, Whole Number, Decimal, True/False, Hyperlink, Date, Time, Date and Time, and Picture.
data validation
The process of testing the accuracy of data; a set of rules you can apply to a control to specify the type and range of data that users can enter.
declarative programming
Rule-based programming in which each rule is independent and the order in which rules are declared or executed is not significant.
design mode
The InfoPath design environment in which you can create or modify a form template.
DHTML
See Dynamic HTML.
dialog box alert
A data validation alert that opens a dialog box with a custom error message when invalid data is entered into a control.
digital signature
An electronic, encryption-based, stamp of authentication on a macro or document. This signature confirms that the macro or document originated from the signer and has not been altered.
Document Object Model (DOM)
A World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) specification that describes the structure of dynamic Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents in a way that allows them to be manipulated through a Web browser.
Document Type Definition (DTD)
The predecessor of a schema definition file that specifies rules for Extensible Markup Language (XML) document elements, attributes, and containment relationships.
DOM
See Document Object Model.
DTD
See Document Type Definition.
Dynamic HTML (DHTML)
An extension of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) that adds multimedia, database access, and an object model that programs can use to change styles and attributes of page elements (objects) and to replace existing elements (objects) with new ones.

E
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embedded object
Information (object) contained in a source file and inserted into a destination file. Once embedded, the object becomes part of the destination file. Changes you make to the embedded object are reflected in the destination file.
enumerated data type
A data type consisting of a sequence of named values given in a particular order.
event
An action recognized by an object, such as a mouse click or key press, for which you can define a response. An event can be caused by a user action or a Microsoft Visual Basic statement, or it can be triggered by the system.
event handler
The script function code in an InfoPath form that responds to a form event or data validation event.
expression box
A control on a form that displays read-only data as the result of a lookup or calculation against the data using an XPath expression.
Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML)
A markup language that extends Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and reformulates it as Extensible Markup Language (XML).
Extensible Markup Language (XML)
A condensed form of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) that enables developers to create customized tags that offer flexibility in organizing and presenting information.
Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL)
An Extensible Markup Language (XML) vocabulary that is used to transform XML data to another form, such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), by means of a style sheet that defines presentation rules.

F
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field
An element or attribute in the data source that can contain data. If the field is an element, it can contain attribute fields. Fields store the data that is entered into controls.
form
In InfoPath, a document with a set of controls into which users can enter information. InfoPath forms can contain features such as rich text boxes, date pickers, optional and repeating sections, data validation, and conditional formatting.
form area
The area of the InfoPath workspace that displays the form you are working with.
form definition file
An Extensible Markup Language (XML) file with an .xsf extension that contains information about all other files and components used within a form, including user interface customizations, XML Schemas, views, business logic, events, and deployment settings.
form files
A collection of files that are used to implement an InfoPath form. File types can include .html, .xml, .xsd, .xslt, script, and other file types that are necessary to support the functionality of the form.
form library
A folder in which a collection of forms based on the same template is stored and shared. Each form in a form library is associated with user-defined information that is displayed in the content listing for that library.
form library columns
Information from forms displayed in columns in a Windows SharePoint Services form library. For every form in the library, columns display information entered into controls that the form designer designated as form library columns.
form template
In InfoPath, a file or set of files that defines the data structure, appearance, and behavior of a form.

G
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GIF
A graphics file format (.gif extension in Windows) used to display indexed-color graphics on the World Wide Web. It supports up to 256 colors and uses lossless compression, meaning that no image data is lost when the file is compressed.
global
Pertaining to an entire document, file, or program rather than to a restricted segment of it.
group
An element in the data source that can contain fields and other groups. Controls that contain other controls, such as repeating tables and sections, are bound to groups.

H
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HREF
See hypertext reference.
HTML
See Hypertext Markup Language.
hyperlink
Colored and underlined text or a graphic that you click to go to a file, a location in a file, a Web page on the World Wide Web, or a Web page on an intranet. Hyperlinks can also go to newsgroups and to Gopher, Telnet, and FTP sites.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
The standard markup language used for documents on the World Wide Web. HTML uses tags to indicate how Web browsers should display page elements such as text and graphics and how to respond to user actions.
hypertext reference (HREF)
An attribute in a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) document that defines a link to another location within a document, a document on the Web, or an e-mail address.

I
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IDE
See integrated development environment.
inline alert
A data validation alert that marks controls that contain invalid data with a dashed red border. Users can right-click controls to display custom error messages.
integrated development environment (IDE)
A set of integrated tools for developing software. The tools are generally run from one user interface and consist of a compiler, an editor, and a debugger, among others.
Internet
A worldwide network of thousands of smaller computer networks and millions of commercial, educational, government, and personal computers. The Internet is like an electronic city with virtual libraries, stores, art galleries, and so on.
intranet
A network within an organization that uses Internet technologies (such as the HTTP or FTP protocol). By using hyperlinks, you can explore objects, documents, pages, and other destinations on the intranet.

J
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JavaScript
A scripting language that can be used to add functionality to or enhance the look of a Web page or a Web site. JavaScript scripts can run on any type of client or server computer.
JPEG
A graphics file format (.jpg extension in Microsoft Windows) supported by many Web browsers that was developed for compressing and storing photographic images. It's best used for graphics with many colors, such as scanned photos.
JScript
An interpreted, object-based scripting language that borrows from C, C++, and Java. It is the Microsoft implementation of the ECMA 262 language specification.

L
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layout table
A collection of cells used to arrange form content such as text or controls.
linked object
An object that is created in a source file and inserted into a destination file, while maintaining a connection between the two files. The linked object in the destination file can be updated when the source file is updated.
list control
A control on a form that can be formatted as a bulleted, numbered, or plain list. A user can enter text into a list control, which repeats as needed.

M
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metadata
Data that describes other data. For example, the words in a document are data; the word count is an example of metadata.
method
A procedure similar to a statement or function that operates on specific objects. For example, you can apply the Print method to the Debug object to transfer printed output to the Immediate window in the Visual Basic Editor.
Microsoft Script Editor (MSE)
A programming environment used to create, edit, and debug Microsoft JScript or Microsoft VBScript code in an InfoPath form.
Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI)
A tool that is used to create installation packages for software that is to be deployed on Windows operating systems.
MSDN
A Microsoft Web site (and subscription program) that provides developers with the latest tools as well as information, code samples, and training materials for Microsoft development tools (http://msdn.microsoft.com).
MSE
See Microsoft Script Editor.
MSI
See Microsoft Windows Installer.

N
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namespace
A mechanism that uniquely qualifies element names and relationships to avoid naming conflicts on elements that have the same name but are coming from multiple sources.

O
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object
A table, chart, graphic, equation, or other form of information. Objects created in one application, such as spreadsheets, and linked or embedded in another application are OLE objects.
object browser
A dialog box that displays information about objects, properties, methods, and constants in the current project and in referenced object libraries, and that you use to search for an element, get help on it, or paste it into a module.
object model
A hierarchical library of objects and collections that represents the content and functionality of an application. Objects and collections have properties, methods, and events that can be used to manipulate and interact with an application.
object model diagram
A graphical representation of the objects and collections that are contained within a specified object model.
offline
In reference to one or more computers, not being connected to a network.
open content model
A set of Extensible Markup Language (XML) document rules that states that an element in an XML document can have additional child elements and attributes that are not declared in the schema that the document references.
optional section
A control on a form that contains other controls and that usually does not appear by default. Users can insert and remove optional sections when filling out the form.

P
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parameter
A value that is assigned to a variable at the beginning of an operation or before an expression is evaluated by a program. A parameter can be text, a number, or an argument name assigned to another value.
parent element
In Extensible Markup Language (XML), the element of which a given element is a child.
processing instructions
Information stored in the prologue of an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document. This information is passed through the XML parser to any application that uses the XML document.
property
A named attribute of a control, a field, or an object that you set to define one of the object's characteristics (such as size, color, or screen location) or an aspect of its behavior (such as whether the object is hidden).
publish
To make a form available for others to fill out. A published form template is saved to a shared location such as a Web server or a company intranet.

R
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reference field
A field that is associated with another field so that their properties always match. If the properties in one field are changed, the properties in the other field are updated automatically.
reference group
A group that is associated with another group so that their properties and the properties of the groups and fields they contain always match. If the properties of one group are changed, the other group is updated automatically.
relative URL
A form of Uniform Resource Locator (URL) in which the domain and some or all directory names are omitted, leaving only the document name and extension (and possibly a partial list of directory names).
repeating field
A field in the data source that can occur more than once. Controls such as bulleted, numbered, and plain lists; repeating sections; and repeating tables can be bound to repeating fields.
repeating group
A group in the data source that can occur more than once. Controls such as repeating sections and repeating tables are bound to repeating groups.
repeating section
A control on a form that contains other controls and that repeats as needed. Users can insert multiple sections when filling out the form.
repeating table
A control on a form that contains other controls in a table format and that repeats as needed. Users can insert multiple rows when filling out the form.
Resource Manager
The interface for adding and removing resource files that support the functionality of a form.
rich text field
A field that can show formatting and graphics, such as an embedded object, in addition to text.
root element
The element in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document that contains all other elements. It is the top-level element of an XML document and must be the first element in the document.

S
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scripting language
A simple programming language designed to perform special or limited tasks, sometimes associated with a particular application or function.
secondary data source
An Extensible Markup Language (XML) data file, database, or Web service that is used by a form for the entries in a list box or for script actions.
section
A control on a form that contains other controls.
server
On a local area network (LAN), a computer that controls access to all or part of the network and its resources, such as printers. On the World Wide Web, a computer that runs Web server software that responds to Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests. Also called a host.
shortcut key
A function key or key combination, such as F5 or CTRL+A, that you use to carry out a menu command. In contrast, an access key is a key combination, such as ALT+F, that moves the focus to a menu, command, or control.
shortcut menu
A menu that shows a list of commands relevant to a particular item. To display a shortcut menu, right-click an item or press SHIFT+F10.
sizing handle
One of the small circles or squares that appears at the corners and sides of a selected object. You drag these handles to change the size of the object.
structural editing
Editing that occurs within a structured document, such as a well-formed Extensible Markup Language (XML) document.
subscript
Describes text that is slightly lower than other text on a line. Subscripts are often used in scientific formulas.
superscript
Describes text that is slightly higher than other text on a line, such as a footnote reference mark.

T
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table
One or more rows of cells commonly used to display numbers and other items for quick reference and analysis. Items in a table are organized into rows and columns.
task pane
A window within an Office application that provides commonly used commands. Its location and small size allow you to use these commands while still working on your files.
text box
A control into which a user can enter text. Rich text boxes allow data entry with text formatting choices.

U
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Unicode
A character encoding standard developed by the Unicode Consortium. By using more than one byte to represent each character, Unicode enables almost all of the written languages in the world to be represented by using a single character set.
Uniform Resource Identifier (URI)
A character string used to identify a resource on the Internet by type and location.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
An address that specifies a protocol (such as HTTP or FTP) and a location of an object, document, Web page, or another destination on the Internet or an intranet— for example, http://www.example.com.
Uniform Resource Name (URN)
A scheme for uniquely identifying resources that may be available on the Internet by name, without regard to where they are located.
URI
See Uniform Resource Identifier.
URL
See Uniform Resource Locator.
URN
See Uniform Resource Name.

V
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valid
Error free or acceptable according to an established set of rules or standards. For example, data entered into a form is valid if it meets the criteria set in the form's data validation rules.
valid XML
A well-formed Extensible Markup Language (XML) document that conforms to a specific set of constraints, usually defined in an XML Schema.
VBScript
See Visual Basic Scripting Edition.
view
A form-specific display setting that can be saved with a form template and applied to form data when the form is being filled out. Users can switch between views to choose the amount of data shown in the form.
Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript)
An interpreted, object-based scripting language that is a subset of the Microsoft Visual Basic programming language.

W
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Web browser
Software that interprets .html files, formats them into Web pages, and displays them. A Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, can follow hyperlinks, transfer files, and play sound or video files that are embedded in Web pages.
well-formed XML
An XML document that meets the minimal criteria for a conforming Extensible Markup Language (XML) document.
wizard
A feature that asks questions and then creates an item, such as a form or Web page, according to your answers.

X
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XHTML
See Extensible Hypertext Markup Language.
XML
See Extensible Markup Language.
XML attribute
An Extensible Markup Language (XML) structural construct. A name-value pair, separated by an equal sign and included in a tagged element, that modifies features of an element. All attribute values are text strings and must be enclosed in quotation marks.
XML data
Data that is saved in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format. InfoPath forms are saved as XML data files.
XML element
An Extensible Markup Language (XML) structure that consists of a start tag, an end tag, and the information between the tags. Elements can have attributes and can contain other elements.
XML parser
A software component used to process Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents by validating their structure and producing views or transformations of their content.
XML Path Language (XPath)
A language used to address parts of an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document. XPath also provides basic facilities for manipulation of strings, numbers, and Booleans.
XML Schema
A formal specification, written in Extensible Markup Language (XML), that defines the structure of an XML document, including element names and rich data types, which elements can appear in combination, and which attributes are available for each element.
XML Signature
An Extensible Markup Language (XML)–based digital signature that can be used to help secure the data contained in XML documents. XML Signatures are a standard governed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
XML template file
An XML file that contains the sample data that is displayed in the fields of a form before a user fills it out.
XPath
See XML Path Language.
XSL
See Extensible Stylesheet Language.
XSL Transformation (XSLT)
A language that is used to transform Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents into other types of documents, such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) or XML. It is designed for use as part of Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL).
XSLT
See XSL Transformation.