The Secondary Data Sources dialog box, which was accessed from the Tools menu, has been replaced by a new Data Connections dialog box that provides a single place to manage all data connections. The data connections are of the following types:

• The main connection for a form, which is created by using the New from Data Connection command in the Design a Form task pane.
• Data connections used to retrieve data, which are associated with secondary data sources.
• Data connections used to submit data.

The Data Connections dialog box allows you to add data connections for submitting or retrieving data, modifying existing data connections, and removing existing data connections. It also displays a summary of the current settings for each data connection.

The Data Source task pane in InfoPath Service Pack 1 provides a drop-down list of available data sources, so that both the main data source and secondary data sources can be displayed. Groups and fields from secondary data sources can be dragged onto the form, as can groups and fields from the main data source, to create controls for displaying or editing their data.

A drop-down list similar to one in the Data Source task pane is available in other situations in which the user can choose a group or field. For example, it is now possible to choose a field or group from a secondary data source when doing the following:

• Changing the binding on a control in the view.
• Setting conditions for data validation.
• Setting conditions for conditional formatting.
• Setting the data to be submitted as parameters to a Web service.
• Inserting formulas.
• Setting conditions in rules.

Note   Data in secondary data sources is not saved with the form, so making secondary data sources editable in the form makes sense only in certain scenarios. You can display high-level secondary data source content simply by dragging a high-level secondary data source node from the Data Source task pane into the view and choosing Section with Controls. Text boxes can be made read-only, if needed.

The following controls can be bound to secondary data sources with no restrictions on their behavior:

• Check Box
• Date Picker
• Drop-Down List Box
• Ink Picture
• List Box
• Option Button

The following controls cannot be bound to secondary data sources:

• Custom Controls
• File Attachment
• Master/Detail
• Optional Section

The following controls can be bound to secondary data sources, but with some restrictions on their behavior: