The Groove InfoPath Tool provides much of the same capabilities as the Groove Forms Tool, for the purpose of developing Groove workspace application tools. Unlike the Groove Forms tool, in which application developers design and lay out all design objects, the Groove InfoPath tool enables application developers to create and lay out most design objects (forms and the fields that display on forms) in Microsoft InfoPath, and then import the solution into the Groove InfoPath Forms Tool designer. Once imported, developers can update the form design in InfoPath and then re-import the form. Once in Groove, application developers add other tool features such as customized views.

Groove InfoPath Tool dependencies

To use the Groove InfoPath tool to design a workspace tool application, you must have Microsoft InfoPath 2007 installed on your system. If you add an InfoPath tool to a workspace without having the required version of InfoPath installed on your system, a warning message displays in the tool window.

Similarly, all users invited to a workspace that contains tools developed with the Groove InfoPath Tool must have Microsoft InfoPath 2007 installed on their computers in order to use these tools. If users don't have the required version of InfoPath installed, a warning message displays in the tool window. Once the user installs Microsoft InfoPath 2007, custom tools developed with the Groove InfoPath Tool will display when selected. Users who don't install InfoPath can continue to use other tools in Groove workspaces that contain Groove InfoPath tools.

Groove InfoPath Tool form design requirements and constraints

Note the following design requirements for the InfoPath Forms tool:

• As noted above, InfoPath form templates must be saved in Microsoft InfoPath 2007 or later. That is, you can use InfoPath form templates designed in earlier versions of InfoPath as long as they are first read into and saved in InfoPath 2007.
• InfoPath forms must be configured to "submit to hosting environment".
• The security level for the InfoPath form must be set to "Restricted".

Additionally, note the following constraints and recommendations:

• The InfoPath template should include one or more promoted fields. The Groove InfoPath tool designer only recognizes promoted fields for use in the InfoPath tool design. Additionally, the selected promoted fields must be field types that are supported in the Groove InfoPath Forms tool. For example, the Groove InfoPath tool does not recognize Time fields, even if promoted.
• Secondary user interface features, such as a task pane, menu, menu area, or toolbar integration, are not supported in the Groove InfoPath tool. If an InfoPath forms tool contains these features, a warning message will display when the form is imported.
• Custom validation settings in InfoPath form fields are not honored in InfoPath form templates imported into Groove. See the Microsoft InfoPath help for more information on Adding or removing validation settings.

You can see detailed information about designing an InfoPath Form Template in Microsoft InfoPath Help.