Change an existing template part

A template part is a portion of a form template that can be saved for reuse in multiple form templates. A typical template part consists of controls and a data source and may also include features such as data connections, data validation, and rules. You can design a single template part and then distribute it to other form template designers in your organization to use in their form templates. This is useful when you want to help ensure a consistent design across multiple form templates. Template parts are often created and maintained by one form designer and then shared with other form designers in an organization.

This article explains the basic procedure for updating a template part. It also describes how to use your own icons for your template parts and how to change a template part's name.

What do you want to do?

Change the design of a template part

Change the icon for a template part

Change the name and ID for a template part

Change the design of a template part

To modify a template part that you designed, you open it in the dedicated Microsoft Office InfoPath environment for designing template parts, make the necessary changes, and then save the file. If other form designers are currently using your template part, you must let them know that a new version is available so that they can add the latest version to the Controls task pane. After a new template part is installed, InfoPath displays a message about the new version in the Design Checker task pane. This notification also appears when you move the pointer over the template part on a form template.

If you plan to update a template part in a form template that is already in use throughout your organization, you must republish the form template after updating the template part. The updated form template with the latest template part will appear automatically the next time users open an existing or new form that is based on that form template.

1. On the File menu, click Design a Form Template.

2. Under Open a form template in the Design a Form Template dialog box, click On My Computer.

3. In the Open in Design Mode dialog box, click InfoPath Template Parts from the list of file types.

4. Browse to and click the template part that you want to open, and then click Open.

5. Make any changes that you need to the template part.

6. To save the template part, on the File menu, click Save.

7. To share the template part with other form designers, copy the template part (.xtp) file to a shared location such as a file server, and then let the other form designers know that it is ready for use.

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Change the icon for a template part

You can create your own icon for a template part. The template part icon appears in the list of controls in the Controls task pane, next to the name of the template part. Custom icons are often created by using a dedicated icon creation software program or graphics program.

1. On the File menu, click Design a Form Template.

2. Under Open a form template in the Design a Form Template dialog box, click On My Computer.

3. In the Open in Design Mode dialog box, click InfoPath Template Parts from the list of file types.

4. Browse to and click the template part that you want to open, and then click Open.

5. On the File menu, click Properties.

6. In the Template Part Properties dialog box, click Browse.

7. In the Insert Icon dialog box, locate the .ico, .bmp, or other image file that contains the icon that you want to use to represent the template part in the Controls task pane.

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Change the name and ID for a template part

Use this procedure when you want to change the name and template part ID for an existing template part.

InfoPath displays the template part name in the Controls task pane, among other places. The template part ID isn't shown in the Controls task pane, but it must be unique for each distinct template part that you create.

You cannot change the name and template part ID of a template part by simply saving the template part with a new file name. Instead, you must open the template part in InfoPath and update the file name in the Template Part Properties dialog box. Doing so automatically updates the template part ID for you.

1. On the File menu, click Design a Form Template.

2. Under Open a form template in the Design a Form Template dialog box, click On My Computer.

3. In the Files of type list, click InfoPath Template Parts.

4. Browse to and click the template part that you want to open, and then click Open.

5. On the File menu, click Properties.

6. In the Template Part Properties dialog box, enter a new name in the Template part name box.

   When you do this, the identifying text in the Template part ID box reflects the new name. The template part ID is generated automatically by InfoPath. It must be unique for each new template part that you create.

7. On the File menu, click Save As, and enter a new file name for the template part.

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