Modifying InfoPath manifest.xsf file from script (2/5)

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Part 2 of 5: Unpacking the XSN

To unpack XSN one should use extract.exe utility. It can be found in the %SystemRoot%system32 directory or in the Microsoft Cabinet Software Development Kit. For the command usage details just run “extract /?”.

In this part we will also introduce several auxiliary functions that will be extensively used throughout the entire discussion topic.

var ExtractExeLocation = "%SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32";

var ExtractExe = Combine(ExtractExeLocation, "extract.exe");

function Combine(dir, file)

{

return dir + "\" + file ;

}

function QuoteStr(string)

{

return (""" + string + """);

}

function Exec(string, flagWait)

{

if (flagWait == null)

flagWait = true;

var WScriptShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");

return WScriptShell.Run(string, 0, flagWait);

}

function ExtractFilesFromXSN(xsnInputPath, outputDirectory)

{

var Parameters;

// add the location to place extracted files,

// a flag "/Y" that prevents prompting before overwriting

// an existing file, and a flag "/E" that orders to

// extract all files

if (outputDirectory != null)

Parameters = " /Y /E /L " + QuoteStr(outputDirectory);

Exec(QuoteStr(ExtractExe)

+ Parameters

+ " " + QuoteStr(xsnInputPath), true);

}

Now we have a tool to unpack XSN. All of the InfoPath form template files are accessible for changing. In the next part of the series we will be modifying the manifest itself.