Using the exercise files

If you are a premium member of the lynda.com training library or if you are watching this session on DVD, you have access to the exercise files used throughout this title. All of the exercise files are in one folder called exercise files, I have it here on my desktop and if you double-click the exercise files folder you'll notice that it contains a folder for each chapter that we actually have exercises in, followed by two folders named Images and Source Files. When we're working in a chapter, you'll open up that Chapters folder, for example Chapter 08, and you'll find the template files that we are using, 08_01, 08_02, 08_03, 08_04, and some chapters have additional files we only use in that chapter.

For example, here a Sample Word File. There are a couple of logos that we use in different forms and so those Images and a few others that you might care to use are here in our Images folder. You can also choose to use your own images files if you wish, you don't need to use these. Then we have a file folder called Source Files, and you'll notice that the Source Files folder is actually empty. Later in the course will be taking the source files that are used to create an InfoPath template and unpacking them out of the template. There are about a dozen files for each and every one of these templates that you see, like any one of these.

So when we unpack them we need a place to put them, and that's what that Source Files folder is for. For any movie that includes exercise files, a banner will scroll across the screen to show you what file I have opened for that particular movie. And if you want to work along with me, simply open the Chapter folder, and open that same file. If you don't have access to these exercise files, don't worry, we are going to build our InfoPath Forms from scratch. So it's easy enough for you to begin when I do and work through the course creating the same form that I create.

At the start of some movies I'll tell you that I've changed the form since the last time you might have seen it, and I'll point out what you need to do to have your form be in the same starting point that mine is. At the end of the course, I'll show you how to convert Word and Excel forms into InfoPath Forms. You can use any Word or Excel form you have on hand for this exercise if you don't have accessto these exercise files. And if you don't have a Word or Excel form you want to convert now, no worries. When you have one later that you do want to convert, come back and view the steps again, I'll still be here.

Now that we know where we're going, let's get started.