Microsoft has announced the release of InfoPath SP1, the update to Microsoft's visual XML forms designer. In preparation for the release, they are offering a preview download of the service pack containing bug fixes, performance enhancements, and a host of new features (listed below). InfoPath is a rich web services client that allows non-technical users to design information collection forms that store XML data or drive off of a relational database schema. InfoPath integrates quickly with other Microsoft Office technologies such as SharePoint Portal and SharePoint Services. New features coming with this release include:
  • More control choices, including Master/Detail, File Attachment, Recursive Section, and Choice, as well as custom-authored controls..
  • Better schema support, including built-in support for schema changes.
  • Printing improvements, including page breaks, margins and print settings.
  • Improved e-mail deployment of sandboxed solutions and auto-updating of trusted solutions.
  • Better management and categorization of solutions.
  • Tablet PC support improvements.
  • Increased support for rules and roles for declarative business logic.
  • Enhanced XPath expression support, including calculations without writing script.
  • Additional data adaptors for email and SharePoint Products and Technologies lists.
  • Better support for custom migration plug-ins.
  • Enhanced Object Model (OM), including OnSave event, offline state, submit, and digital signatures.
  • Improved support for secondary data sources.
  • Additional support for business logic written in managed code (requires a separate download).
  • Enhanced OM for external automation and windowless mode for application-level calls.
  • Better support for ADO datasets and diffgrams to round-trip data changes.
  • Additional support for complex scripts, such as right-to-left and South Asian languages.
  • Enhanced support for digital signatures, including partial signatures, non-repudiation, co-signing, and counter-signing.
  • Improved stability and performance, including auto-save and data recovery.
Learn more.