BUG: You may receive "The form template is not valid" error message when you try to preview or to open a Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003 form in InfoPath 2003 Service Pack 1 (883558)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003, Service Pack 1 (SP1)

SYMPTOMS

When you try to open or to preview a Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003 form in InfoPath 2003 Service Pack 1, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following:
The form template is not valid.

InfoPath cannot open the following view: View 1
The following view file is not valid: view1.xsl
The .xsl file is not valid XSL. Expected token ')' found '['.

not(../..-->[<--my:field1=$val] or $val='')

CAUSE

This problem occurs because the solution contains a nested list or a nested drop-down list that is linked to a parent repeating field.

Note This problem does not occur if a repeating recursive section is used. The bug applies to the following:
  • The Repeating Section control
  • The Repeating Table control
  • The Master Detail control

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, you have to select the correct Xpath for the list. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Start InfoPath 2003.
  2. In the Fill Out a Form dialog box, click Design a Form.
  3. In the Design a Form task pane, click New Blank Form under Design a new form.
  4. In the Design Tasks task pane, click Controls.
  5. In the Controls task pane, click Repeating Section under Repeating and Optional.

    By default, the "group2" Repeating Section is generated in the editor.
  6. Click group2 to select this Repeating Section.

    Note The cursor must be inside the Repeating Section.
  7. In the Controls task pane, click Text Box to insert a text box in the "group2" Repeating Section. The field name for the text box is field1.
  8. In the Controls task pane, click Repeating Section to insert a second Repeating Section in the "group2" Repeating Section.

    By default, a Repeating Section that is named "group4" is generated in the editor.
  9. Click group4 to select this Repeating Section.

    Note The cursor must be inside the Repeating Section.
  10. In the Controls task pane, click List Box to insert a list in the "group4" Repeating Section. The field name for the list is field2
  11. Right-click field2, and then click List Box Properties.
  12. In the List Box Properties dialog box, click Look up values in the form's data source in the List box entries section.
  13. Under Choose the repeating group or field where the entries are stored, click Select Xpath.

    Select Xpath is to the right of the Entries box.
  14. In the Select a Field or Group dialog box, expand group1, expand group2, click field1, and then click OK two times.

    Note You have to set Xpath to the field and not to the group.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to reproduce the problem

  1. Start InfoPath 2003.
  2. In the Fill Out a Form dialog box, click Design a Form.
  3. In the Design a Form task pane, click New Blank Form under Design a new form.
  4. In the Design Tasks task pane, click Controls.
  5. In the Controls task pane, click Repeating Section under Repeating and Optional.

    By default, a Repeating Section that is named "group2" is generated in the editor.
  6. Click the group2 Repeating Section.

    Note The cursor must be inside the Repeating Section.
  7. In the Controls task pane, click Text Box to insert a text box in the "group2" Repeating Section. The field name for the text box is "field1."
  8. In the Controls task pane, click Repeating Section to insert a second Repeating Section in the "group2" Repeating Section.

    By default, the "group4" Repeating Section is generated in the editor.
  9. Click the group4 Repeating Section.

    Note The cursor must be inside the Repeating Section.
  10. In the Controls task pane, click List Box to insert a list in the "group4" Repeating Section.

    The field name for the list is "field2."
  11. Right-click the field2 list, and then click List Box Properties.
  12. In the List Box Properties dialog box, click Look up values in the form's data source in the List box entries section.
  13. Under Choose the repeating group or field where the entries are stored, click Select Xpath.

    Select Xpath is located to the right of the Entries box.
  14. In the Select a Field or Group dialog box, expand group1, expand group2, click field1, and then click OK two times.
  15. On the Standard toolbar, click Preview Form.

    You may receive the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/28/2006
Keywords:kbtshoot kbbug KB883558 kbAudDeveloper kbAudITPRO
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