XFA dynamic forms and Annotations: When?

We´re using mainly dynamic forms in our web solution for a lot of reasons, but in the near future we also want to give our customers the possibilty to make annotations inside their forms. Currently we have a prototype for that, with some xfa buttons to activate the annotation functions from inside the form and sensitive areas inside which it is allowed to annotate. This prototype currently only works as a static xfa form.
My question (to the Adobe folks): Will annotations be supported in dynamic forms sometimes and if yes, when?
Thanks, Kolja

Kolija,
There are no immediate plans to support this.
Catherine
Adobe Systems

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Dynamic Forms and PDF Preview

I'm new to PDF forms and designer. I have encountered 2 issues that I can't get around.
1 - PDF Preview - When I go from "body pages" to "PDF Preview" it goes into a script saying it can't download from a website and errors out. I believe it worked properly for awhile. Is this normal ? I tried to reload and repair my acrobat, but to no avail.
2 - I'm trying to create a dynamic form and there is very little info on creating a dynamic form and what info I have found is very evasive?
I'm trying to create a form section that has line items. I would like to have the line items expand by an input, by the user. example: the user enters # items to order "6" and then six line items appear for the user to fill out

Hello Dave,
I can't say I've seen issue 1 before and would recommend contacting support.
For item 2 I would suggest wrapping your 'line' of text in a subform then creating a script to use the setInstance method for that subform.
Let's say you had a subform named "TextLine" (which contained a text field), a numeric field called "NumberOfLines" and a button called "SetLines". You would likely want to have javascript code on the SetLines button click event much like:
TextLine.instanceManager.setInstances(NumberOfLines,rawValue);
You will want to save this form as a Dynamic PDF before previewing and you will want to ensure that TextLine allows for more than one occurence (found under Object - Binding, Allow Subform to Repeat when you have that subform selected).
You may also want to put in some validation against the NumberOfLines field to ensure it has a value.
I hope that helps.

Dynamic Forms and WF

Hello,
I have designed a dynamic form, where user can add rows dynamically by clicking a button on the form, the form is working fine in preview in designer.
this form is initiating a LC WF process, but, if I deploy this form to form manager as an XDP and choose to render it to PDF, adding rows function does not work, however if I save this as dynamic PDF from LC designer and deploy it again to form manager, it works !!
However, I can not use PDF generated from LC Designer since I found that commenting and annotations are not working ( I am using acrobat ) which is an important feature, also, web services calls are not working even, again from Acrobat!
How can I set the form server installed with workflow server to render XDP templates into dynamic PDF forms ?
Or alternatively how to enable commenting and fix web service calls in PDF rendered form ?
Thank you for help,
Greetings,

By default Forms and Form Manager are configured to render a PDF as either static or dynamic based on some values in the XDP. By default those values will tell it to render a static PDF. What you can do, in Designer save as a dynamic PDF, then open the dynamic PDF in Designer and save as an XDP. Upload that XDP to Form Manager, the tags will be present to tell it to be rendered as a dynamic PDF. There's a better way if you are using Designer 7.1 and Forms 7.1, but since I don't know your environment this is a way that will work regardless of versions.
Annotations will not work in dynamic PDF's though. Currently annotations make no sense in dyanmic PDF's since the template of the PDF can dynamically change while annotations are bound to a specific location. IE: You have a dynamic PDF that is initial 4 pages and add an annotation to page 4. Later the template of the PDF changes based on data and user interaction and it is now a 2 page PDF, but the annotation is still on page 4 which no longer exists...
Chris
Adobe Enterprise Developer Support

Dynamic forms and collection.

Hello,
In one of your postings you’ve explained that the collections won't work with dynamic forms. The collection will only "see" the first instance of the subform. You've provide link to the sample, but it does not longer work :
http://my.adobe.acrobat.com/p52549088/.
This sample shows how to manually encode data into barcode from a subform that repeats. Can you please provide a working link or sample? Is there any other suggestion on how to link barcodes on dynamic forms?
Regards,

Hello Dave,
I can't say I've seen issue 1 before and would recommend contacting support.
For item 2 I would suggest wrapping your 'line' of text in a subform then creating a script to use the setInstance method for that subform.
Let's say you had a subform named "TextLine" (which contained a text field), a numeric field called "NumberOfLines" and a button called "SetLines". You would likely want to have javascript code on the SetLines button click event much like:
TextLine.instanceManager.setInstances(NumberOfLines,rawValue);
You will want to save this form as a Dynamic PDF before previewing and you will want to ensure that TextLine allows for more than one occurence (found under Object - Binding, Allow Subform to Repeat when you have that subform selected).
You may also want to put in some validation against the NumberOfLines field to ensure it has a value.
I hope that helps.

Dynamic forms and Web Services?

So what we are trying to do is get a dynamic form's information into a database. On the form itself we have several fields wrapped in a subform that is set to repeat. It is bound to an element from a web service, which allows the form to grow based on the number of rows returned. We needed to do this because depending on the selection of departments, there could be a different number of rows returned each time. This works out fine. The form grows to display different options, based on the selection.
What we're having problems with is writing the changes made back to the database. We have a web service that is bound to the subform that contains the fields, and also bound to the fields themselves, but we're only able to write the information from the last node, i.e if there were six options that were displayed, and you made changes to all six, only the changes to the last one would be written to the database. Is there something special that needs to be done on the form side?
Any help is much appreciated.

Yes ...you set up the web service to recieve one parameter .....then you create a multiline field (make it invisible so the user cannot see it). Then use this command to populate the field with the form data:
fieldname.rawValue = xfa.datasets.data.saveXML("pretty");
Now bind this field to the web service input and call it.
Paul

Dynamic Forms and Datasets

I have created a dynamic form in LC8.0. Distributed it to our server via Acrobat Pro 8.o. The users have Reader 8.0. There are two subforms on the page, both of which are tables which can be expanded using an addInstance button.
Everything works well with single row entries - I receive the returned data in a mailbox, open up the file which then populates a dataset with the information from both tables. This can then be exported to an Excel spreadsheet.
However, when the addinstance button is used by the user and an additional row of data is added to either of the tables, the following message box error appears when I try to add that data to the dataset:
"...the form fields do not match the fields in the dataset"; followed by
"Failed to add the returned form to the dataset file. Error code = 11".
Does anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong? I'm not a programmer, so please provide as much information as you can.
Any help appreciated. Many thanks.

Hi Jerry
I think I managed to solve this one - though not sure I remember quite how I did it. I think it was by ensuring that only those items I wanted to export from the data set had their data bindings set to Normal. Absolutely everything else was set to None - so check that the subform that holds your addInstance button is also set to None.
In opening the returned form a message box may appear stating:
"Fields in the 'formname' do not exactly match the fields in the template in the data set. Do you really want to add the form to the data set?".
When you've added it you will notice an additional column to the far left of the data view panel of the data set with the header "Has Different Fields". Depending on whether the data submitted had one or more instances added will determine whether the column has a Yes or a No in it. If there were multiple entries in that particular form, you will only see the first one until you've exported the data to your other application. The "Yes" or "No" isn't exported.
Good luck

Embedded Dynamic forms and 2D Barcode.

The forms that we have developed so far have various dynamic forms embedded which do not work with 2D Barcode. What alternative designs can we use to achieve similar results? What are design considerations that we should be aware of?
We have LC ES 8.2, Adobe Acrobat 9.0 and Barcoded Paper Forms 8.0.

Thank you Lee,
We will most likely have multiple barcodes for each form.
Are there any major design considerations that we should be aware of for the placement of these barcodes on the form when linking them together in order to facilitate?
What happens with the barcodes when you have one form with few dynamic subforms?
Regards

Dynamic Forms and Flowing subforms -- Need help/Advice

Hello All -
I am creating a form for instructors at our college to complete. It has 3 pages, some static text, some required drop-down boxes, and three "comment" type areas which I would like to create so that they "flow" and display the entire contents when printed.
I've read everything I could find so far, but I think I am missing something quite basic.
I've created master pages, with a content subform on each one. I've placed all my content into subforms under that main content subform, named and ordered them the way they need to be. Most of it should appear as positioned. Only where there is one of the comment sections do I want/need the "flow content" option.
I tried following the directions I found in another thread. If I set the subform with the comment area to flow, then I never get the page break option (and it is needed) - it's always grayed out. When I try to set the underlying subform on the page to 'flow content', ALL of the content from all three pages ends up on one page, everything on top of each other.
What am I doing wrong?
Can anyone give me some tips as to where at least to start looking for what I've not done or done wrong?
Thanks in advance for any information -- it will be soooo appreciated!
Lauren

Hi Lauren,
You only need one Master page, and there's no need to put anything on it unless you want a header/footer that repeats on each page.
If you want to have things flow from page to page, create one body page object, and set its content type to Flowed (the body page is itself a subform). In it you put subforms with text, fields, and so on in them. Since your form will spill from page to page based on how much text the instructors type into the expandable comments fields, break up the forms content into sections (subforms) such that the layout can break between the subforms without taking away from the readability. These subforms should have a content type of Position. Even though there's only one body page object in your design, since you have three pages worth of stuff, it will spill onto three pages.
Now for the comments fields, which you want to wrap and expand. Make sure that each of your comments fields is in its own subform. Set the field to allow multiple lines and, in the layout tab, click the box to Expand to Fit (height). For the subform that contains the comments field, set the height to auto-fit (layout tab). Also for the subforms that contain comments fields, experiment with the "Allow Page Breaks Within Content" checkbox on the Subform tab. If you expect an instructor to blab on for more than an entire page of text, you will have to select this box, but otherwise I suggest leaving it unselected so that the entire comment remains together.
Jared Langdon
www.jlangdon.ca

IPad and Annotations when using PDF's

I have an iPad. I create Adobe PDF Portfolios; I download them to my iPad. I can open them in Reader BUT I cannot use “annotations” and it states that “Modifying the document is not allowed because it is an attachment”. When I use Adobe PRO it allows me to use “annotations” BUT it pulls all of my documents out of the folders I’ve created in the Portfolios and places them into one long messy list. HELP.

Hi...
On both your iPhone and iPad tap Settings > iCloud
Switch Notes off then back on then restart the devices.
Restart your device: Hold the power button until "slide to power off" appears. Slide to power off. After it is off, press the power button to turn it back on.

How do I add a time field to a dynamic list and form?

I'm trying to create an update form that logs when an action was taken. Among the fields are one for the date and one for the time, but I've not been able to get the time field to display or enter data correctly.
I've set the time format in the ADDT preferences (database date and time format is yyyy-mm-dd and HH:mm:ss and screen format is dd/mm/yyyy and HH:mm). When I create the list or the form using the wizard, there is no option to display the field as a time.
In step 3 of 4 in the Dynamic List Wizard, the 'Display as' options are: text, numeric, double and date. Choosing date for the time field gives me a display as though it was a date (I get '00/00/0000'). I have the same problem with generating a Dynamic Form in that there is no option to display a time, only a date.
Am I able to do this using the wizard, or is there another way that I'm, missing? Thanks for any help.

If those date/time fields are only needed for logging purposes then follow Günter's instructions.
If you need to be able to edit those two fields and have their values displayed properly then there are several steps you should take.
First open the page that uses the Dynamic List behavior and make sure that all date and time fields are configured to display as dates. Then open the page with the dynamic form and click on "Manage Dynamic Form Wizard" in the Developer Toolbox. Configure your date and time fields to submit as dates. Then go to the Server Behaviors panel and double click on "Validate Form". You should now have 3 date/time options available under Validation Format: Date, Datetime, and Time. Configure each field as needed.
This will ensure that date and time fields are saved in the proper format so that when you view their values they will be displayed properly, that is dates will be displayed as dates and times as times.
There are also several additional server formats available that are accessible through the Bindings panel that you might want to experiment with.

Dynamic Forms with Subforms and Text Fields

I've been reading all of the messages relating to subforms and dynamic forms and have used many of the suggestions, but haven't found anything that addresses the problem I am having. I'm using Designer 7.0. I've saved my form as a dynamic form, I've set my text fields for multiple lines and expand to fit. My problem is that as soon as I set the parent subform to Flow Content, everything moves to the left margin. I've tried grouping items together within a subform in hopes that the items will maintain their position on the page, but everything always moves to the left margin. I'm creating a legal form that needs to have text and a text field centered at the top of the page. Below that to the left is a text field that needs to be able to expand with two text fields to the right of it. Below that are additional text fields that need to expand as needed.
Am "stacking" my subforms incorrectly and setting the wrong subform to Flow Content? Or, can you now lock a field to a specific position? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately, I hadn't understood that you needed the fields to expand in height and everything below them to move down the page. In that case, you'll need to use flowed subforms.
Having all objects move to the left side of the page is expected when setting a subform to flowed. That's because the flow is top-down, left-right.
One thing you could try is making the text field that needs to be centered exactly as wide as the flowed subform and then setting its left- and right-hand margins to an equal number. This would ensure an equal amount of space on the left- and right-hand sides and because the field would be as wide as its flowed container (subform), entering multiple lines of text would result in everything below moving down.
I've attached a sample form where the page subform has been set to flowed, the text field at the top is a multi-line/height-expandable text field with its width set to the page width and its left- and right-hand margins both set to 2in and the button and check box objects are pushed below the text field.
When text is entered into the text field, it expands in height and causes the button and check box to move down.
To achieve other horizontal and vertical positioning/offsets, you could play with the margins of all the fields that need this.
Stefan
Adobe Systems

Cannot submit dynamic form when the form go to the same URL

Hi,
I am using Safari 5.1 (7534.50). I am having problem on dynamic form submission.
When I click on the button 1 on the following form, it will open a page in a new window.
After that, if I push the button 2, the form cannot be submit and it won't open a new page.
If I push the button 1 again, the form cannot be submit again either.
<form target="_blank" action="http://www.domain.com" method="get" name="prForm">
<input value="0" name="test">
</form>
<a href="javascript:submitForm(1);">Submit Button 1 </a>
<a href="javascript:submitForm(2);">Submit Button 2</a>
<script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">
function submitForm(val) {
    var pf = document.prForm;
    pf['test'].value = val;
    pf.submit();
</script>
This behaviour has been considered as a bug in Google Chrome and has currently been fixed.
I wonder if Apple will fix the same bug in the future?

Might make this easier to answer if you can see the page in question:
http://www.whataretheyreallylike.com/review.html
Your thoughts, please?

Dynamic Form Print Dialog Presets

For a Dynamic form, is it possible to define the Print Dialog Preset for Page Scaling?
In Acrobat, the option (File > Properties > Advanced ) is disabled for Dynamic forms, and there doesn't seem to be a way of setting it in Designer.
Is there some way to trick it (i.e. by setting it in some xml in the xdp that is not documented)?
It's a real pain having dynamic forms that get shrunk when printed.....

Hi,
Yes, it is not a pretty (or complete) solution!!
I don't think you can disable the File/Print or Control+P (nor would you want to). In Acroforms you can set the print parameters, but as far as I know you cannot do this in LC Designer XFA forms.
This probably is not going to help you but in any one session after the user prints using the button and then subsequently goes File/Print or Control+P, then Acrobat will "remember" the "no scaling".
Some of our multi page forms are split into sections, so to encourage users to use the print button we have buttons in each section, which are set to print that section only (this is useful to the user 'cause they do not need to work this out). If the user wants all of the document, they can click the radio button in the print dialogue.We also colour the print buttons green (with white captions) as a positive / go colour.
Someone else may have a more elegant / efficient solution that sets the print parameters on opening the form or prePrint.
I don't know what Adobe are planning, but you could add it to the wish list: http://forums.adobe.com/community/livecycle/livecycle_next/feature_requests
Sorry I could not be of more help!
Good luck,
Niall

Saving dynamic forms in Acrobat Reader

How do you create PDF dynamic forms and save them so that they can be completed and saved in Acrobat Reader.

Thank you very much for your help. As I said this was my first attempt with Livecyle. I had sold the concept of dynamic forms to a collegue and promised to do a dynamic form one for him before going on a winter holiday. Completed the form in a hurry only to find I could not enable users with Acrobat Reader. My worry was that I would not be able to save dynamic forms without additional software, but your helpful comments confirm its something I have done that is causing my issue.
I think Livecycle is a great product, but fragmented information is available for individual users. Bought the Book PDF Forms Using LifeCycle Designer (Acrobat 9) and joined PDFscripting web service which are both good in there own way. I get confused with Adobe's help, not being IT techie and the difference of Enterprise Editions of LifeCycle on how to get the best out of LiveCycle.
Many thanks George for you assistance, I will retry when I return from my winter break.

Rich Text in a XML Dynamic Form

Hi guys,
I'm having a problem accessing the property "richValue" of a text field.
What I'm trying to do is get comments entered in a text field to be added to a list of comments(rich, text Field), similar to chat window. So each comment added (via a button click) will be formatted differently depending on other form parameters.
Using LiveCycle Designer ES to create dynamic pdf form, target version 8.1 or higher. Testing using Acrobat Professional 8.1.2 .
All text fields have richText switch on and also the Binding data format has been set to "XHMTL", only because Designer was whinging about it.
Have tested:
]var field = event.target.getField("form1[0].#subform[0].txtAddComment[0]");
console.println("Comment: " + util.spansToXML(field.richValue));
]undefined "is the result".
Also tested:
]var field = event.target.getField("form1[0].#subform[0].txtAddComment[0]");
var comments = event.target.getField("form1[0].#subform[0].txtComments[0]");
]comments.richValue = field.richValue;
]"nothing happens, no error, fields don't change nothing"
OK is rich text supported in xfa dynamic forms?
My aim is to be able to take someone's comments, format them and add them to a list of comments (like a log of comments), via javascript.
Can anyone assist? It will be much appreciated.

send me your form,will try and fix it for you
[email protected]

XFA dynamic forms and Annotations: When?

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