Designer - "data mergefields" - how to approach

[#1]

I often work on LiveCycle projects where an application generates a populated XFA form and then I have scripts occurring on the initialization event to further utilize the populated data.  The method I have always done to accomplish this is to create a subform with "mergefields"(textfields) containing data binding.  When the application loads data into the form, the scripts reference those mergefields and further actions/calculations are done with the data in those fields. 

The mergefields subform can be cumbersome to create as I have to cut/paste or drag and drop the fields in them.

Is there a better/cleaner way to approach what I am trying to accomplish?  I tried using the Referenced Objects section, but the data is not "loaded into" those fields during forms generation.  The data connection is XML.

[BrownDesk123 · Accepted solution]

Assuming a sample XML like that:

<root>

  <section>

    <field1>gg</field1>

...

Instead of creating fields and bind them to $.section.field1

You can use in scripting xfa.record.section.field1.value

[BrownDesk123 · Accepted solution]

Thanks, that's the solution!