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Auto-Increment for InfoPath repeating tables/sections - Yaniv Levi

Yaniv Levi

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Auto-Increment for InfoPath repeating tables/sections

When creating a InfoPath forms to collect business application data, it is often required to use an auto-increment (auto indexing) behavior for auto numbering different data in the form. This is a very common and useful when implementing a repeating table and/or repeating section in order to index the rows in the repeating table or the repeating sections, correspondingly.

In the following post I'll demonstrate three available options to archive this behavior without writing a single line of code!

This options are available and support by both, InfoPath 2003 and InfoPath 2007.

This post has a sample InfoPath form template - DOWNLOAD THE SAMPLE (Auto_Increment_Sample.zip).

Option 1 - Use an Expression Box with the XPath set to position()

This option is great if all you want to do is show the row number. But if you actually want to store the sequential auto-increment numbering in a field, this is not a good option since Expression Box cannot update and save its data to fields in the form.

See option 1 in the attached Auto_Increment_Sample.xsn

image

Option 2 - Use  count() of preceding-sibling

image To store the auto-number in the forms field, i.e Index_Count field in our form, use the following XPath formula as the default value of the Index_Count field: count(../preceding-sibling::*/my:Index_Count) + 1 and uncheck the update this value when the result of this formula is recalculated.

This XPath actually counts (count() function) the number of nodes in the same level above the current node (preceding-sibling statement).

This will do the work, but if we need the generated Index_Count to assure unique across the table rows, than this will not be enough, since it in case you delete a row and then insert another row, than will have two rows with the same Row_ID value.

See option 2 in the attached Auto_Increment_Sample.xsn

Option 3 - Use InfoPath Rule to create a counter mechanism

In this option we'll use an InfoPath Rule on the index field. This rule will use as a counter mechanism to increment a counter filed as follow:

1. A field to store the item count has been added - Item_Count (/my:myFields/my:Item_Count), with a default value of 1. This field will act as a global variable to the form instance and will hold the latest generated Index_Counter_Rule.
2. The value of the above Item_Count field has been set as the default value of the Index_Counter_Rule field (again, we uncheck the update this value when the result of this formula is recalculate).
image
3. A rule named “Set_Item_Count” has been added to the Index_Counter_Rule field. This rule is will set the value of Item_Count to (Item_Count + 1). This rule is being triggered after the content of the field is being changed. When we add a new row, the content of this field is being changed due to the default value settings.
image

See option 3 in the attached Auto_Increment_Sample.xsn

Use the options above as you find best fit to your needs.

Enjoy :)
פורסם: Jan 09 2008, 12:02 PM by yanivl | with 23 comment(s) |
תגים:, , ,

תוכן התגובה

Gyan כתב/ה:

I used Option 3 and it works just wonderfully, with one exception. If I increment the repeating table for five rows (e.g. 1,2,3,4,5) and then I remove a row (e.g, row 3) how do I get the rows that follow (e.g. rows 4 and 5 to decrement to the correct row numbers?)

# January 29, 2008 7:58 PM

Dean כתב/ה:

Thanks for the help with incrementing values in infopath tables.  How might one increment version numbers like 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, etc?

# July 19, 2008 1:47 AM

Dean כתב/ה:

This worked for me using example 1 I put the following in the XPath field:  

position() - (.9 * (position() - 1))

# July 19, 2008 2:51 AM

Munazzah כתב/ה:

Is it possible to have an autoincrement field when ever a new instance of form is created. Actually i want an autoincrement field to store the User change request id.

# July 28, 2008 2:26 AM

Jeremy כתב/ה:

This work great but what if I want to edit that location. Say now I need to change the expression in Row ID 1 but on Row ID 1?

# July 29, 2008 4:33 PM

Rodolfo כתב/ה:

Is there a way that we can make an incremental number like a Unique Identifier or form number using these formulas?

# October 13, 2008 12:02 PM

Jonathan Cohen כתב/ה:

Kol Hakavod

Albany NY

# October 31, 2008 11:49 AM

GB כתב/ה:

Excellent examples. Thank you.

# December 6, 2008 3:57 PM

MrQuestion כתב/ה:

Very Good Example. Thank you Very Much.

# December 10, 2008 12:59 PM

dataCore כתב/ה:

When you set the

count(../preceding-sibling::my:Row) + 1

and check (!) the "update this value when the result of this formula is recalculated". it works for me.

You just have to refresh the content wenn the user add's a new line or deletes a line and the linenumber/fieldnumber is correct (doesn't matter if the user inserts a line somewhere in the table or just add the end - same for deletation)

greetings und THX for the good article

# April 1, 2009 3:48 PM

Kate Struck כתב/ה:

Thank you so much for teaching me how to auto-increment.  I have wasted hours of searching and experimenting on how to do this. You have given me a gift. Thank you again.

# April 16, 2009 7:53 PM

Brian כתב/ה:

Is it possible to make option 3 with with the web rendering InfoPath Services on SharePoint 2007?

# April 22, 2009 10:58 PM

Arash Aghajani כתב/ה:

Thank you so much.

Good examples...

# May 4, 2009 11:36 AM

AutoNumber Repeating Sections | keyongtech כתב/ה:

Pingback from  AutoNumber Repeating Sections | keyongtech

# May 28, 2009 10:07 PM

Nandashri כתב/ה:

This is excellent and very helpful..Thanks :)

# June 14, 2009 7:56 AM

Clayton Hampton כתב/ה:

I have a need for indexing of a repeating table on the fly within an existing InfoPath template.  While the data appears in table form, it needs to be organized(in appearance) by cost...  In other words, if the cost changes, then the highest cost should appear first with the remaining records displayed in decreasing order from that point.  To this point, I haven't been able to find anything to assist me with this.  My email is: clayton_hampton@hsb.com.  Please respond, if you have a solution.

# June 18, 2009 6:24 PM

aziz כתב/ה:

i tried, it works in infopath forms properly but doesn' t work on browser.1 ok, 2 ok but 3 is not ok.

1

2

2

2

# September 28, 2009 4:45 PM

bstoyano כתב/ה:

I tried option 2 but left the Update value field checked. It works fine even with inserting and removing lines.

Nevertheless, the article is great.

# December 28, 2009 1:18 PM

Chris כתב/ה:

I had a problem when using Option 3 with InfoPath forms server.  The rows were being incremented by 2 instead of 1.  What I had to do was push the rule to another field and let the form do the updates through that mechanism.  I'll send you the updated Option 3 that works both in the fat client and browser.  It still does not address the out of sync issue you can run into but for my application, I don't want to reorder the fields just keep a unique row assignment.

# April 8, 2010 10:18 AM

Rob Sanders כתב/ה:

Can I use this to specify to copy a value from another cell into a cell in the LAST position of a repeating table?  (Currently, when I try to copy into the repeating table it put the new data in ALL rows of the table...)  - I am a non-programmer, and an InfoPath novice.

# April 23, 2010 4:58 PM

David כתב/ה:

This is garbage. Except the 1st example it's garbage

# April 30, 2010 10:05 AM

Sara כתב/ה:

Toda Rabbah!

# March 2, 2012 12:25 AM

Teja Vikram Atoory כתב/ה:

count(../preceding-sibling::*) + 1

surely works tested by me

# May 7, 2012 4:41 PM
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