How to Fix SyteLine Forms That Won't Load
When a SyteLine form refuses to load, displaying a blank white screen, the error 'Error loading form definition,' or spinning indefinitely, users are completely blocked from their work. This issue affects both the Windows rich client and the web client and can stem from corrupted form XML, broken IDO bindings, or client-side cache problems.
Diagnosing the Form Load Failure
SyteLine form load failures produce distinct symptoms depending on the root cause. A blank screen with no error typically indicates a client cache issue. The error message 'Error loading form definition for [FormName]' points to corrupted or missing form XML in the application database. A form that partially renders then freezes suggests an IDO binding failure where the underlying data object cannot be reached or returns an unexpected schema.
- Check the browser console (F12) for JavaScript errors like 'Cannot read property of undefined' which indicate broken form component references
- Look for 'Error loading form definition for [FormName]' in the SyteLine event log, indicating the form XML is missing or corrupt in FormDefinitions table
- Verify the IDO bound to the form exists and is accessible using the IDO Request Tester with a simple LoadCollection call
- Test the same form with a different user account to rule out permission-based form loading restrictions
- Check if the form loads in the rich client but not the web client, which isolates the issue to web-tier configuration
Fixing Common Form Load Problems
The most frequent resolution is clearing the SyteLine client cache and refreshing form definitions. For the web client, clear the browser cache and cookies for the SyteLine URL. For the rich client, delete the contents of the local FormCache folder under the user's AppData directory. If the form XML is corrupted, re-import the form definition from a known-good environment using the Form Export/Import utility in SyteLine Configuration Manager.
- Clear the web client cache: browser settings > clear cached images and files for the SyteLine domain, then hard refresh with Ctrl+Shift+R
- Delete the rich client form cache: navigate to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Infor\SyteLine\FormCache and remove all .xml files, then restart the client
- Re-import the form definition from a backup or reference environment using Configuration Manager > Form Management > Import
- If a customized form fails, revert to the base form by removing the customization layer in the Personalization form (SLPersonalizations table)
- Recycle the SyteLine IIS application pool after any form XML changes to ensure the server reloads form definitions from the database
Preventing Recurring Form Load Issues
Form load problems frequently recur after SyteLine upgrades, patch applications, or when multiple consultants modify form customizations concurrently. Establishing a form change management process and validating form XML integrity after every deployment prevents these issues from reaching production users.
- Export and version-control all custom form definitions as XML files in your source control repository before and after every upgrade
- Run the SyteLine Form Validation utility after applying patches to detect broken component references or deprecated control types
- Limit form customization permissions to designated administrators to prevent conflicting overlay changes
- Document all form customization changes with the specific overlay level, component IDs modified, and IDO binding adjustments made
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