Flattening a PDF Form

Is there a service I can use that will convert a PDF Form to a non-form PDF similar to what you would get doing a print to PDF in Acrobat?

S. Bishop, The title of this thread requests how to Flatten a PDF but after reading your post I'm unclear if that is what you are specifically trying to do =). One way you can flatten a PDF form is to stick it in an xfaForm variable and run it through Output's generatePDFOutput service. This service accepts many parameters as input but most are optional. The ones to concern yourself with at first would be: 1) Transformation Format: The format which you would like to flatten your PDF to. You may choose either PDF (as in going from dynamic to static) or PDF/A (commmon archival standard PDF) 2) Form: This is a string that represents the URL path to your form's template. If you are using an xfaForm variable, then you can just pass the variable's templateURL property in here. 3) Content Root: The Content Root URL associated with the repository in which 2) above resides. The value of 2) above is actually appended to the end of this. The value to pass in for this is most often "repository://" (no quotes). 4) Input Data: This is where you would specify any data you'd like populate the flattened PDF with. If you are using an xfaForm variable, you should pass in "process_data/<your xfa variable>/object/data/xdp/datasets/data/*" (no quotes). The service returns: 1) PDF Output: The flattened PDF as a Document variable. Shoot me an email should you run into any snags as I'd be happy to help. Josh Boyle [email protected] Cardinal Solutions Group

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The updated Adobe Reader App on the iPad will not flatten a PDF Form before emailing.

My iPad automatically updated and since that update, we cannot fill in PDF forms and flatten to share via email. When we share via email it shares the original file. The help section shows that option to flatten the file, but when actually performing the functions it just automatically attaches the document to the email without that security option. Has anyone run into this issue? How did you resolve it?

As an update, I am finding that I can still send documents via email (and given the option to flatten) if the document was already in my adobe prior to this update, even if I changed the document. However, If I am opening a new document right now from dropbox or some other source and editing and saving it to adobe, it will only email the original blank document.

How to lock a pdf form after entering data

Hi
I have created certificate with editable fields for a client, I was of the thinking that the certificate is to be filled-in and printed however the client informed me that it is instead emailed to recipients. How can I make it possible for the client to lock the certificate after entering data.
Bear in mind that the client is using Adobe Reader not Acrobat. I have tried setting a security password but Reader does not require the password in order to enable or disable the fields.

If the user has Acrobat, not the free Reader, they could flatten the PDF form. If they only have Reader they can make the fields read only. They also might want to use a digital certificate to invisibly sign the PDF. Signing the PDF will add code to disclose if the PDF has been changed since it was signed.

Flattened PDF Form and Barcode not displaying

I see there are a lot of discussions that are not answered in this forum, so I am guessing this will go unanswered as well. But I am looking for a solution for the issue in the subject. I have a simple PDF form built in LiveCycle that I am populating with Coldfusion. Once the form is populated I then flatten the form. The barcode appears up to the flattening point which is when it disappears. The characters that populated the barcode field ARE displaying but the image is not.
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How are you flattening the forms? I'm assuming PDFg or Output?
Also, be sure your barcode looks something like this:
<field name="PDF417BarCode1" y="50.8mm" w="66.7mm" h="25.4mm" access="readOnly">
<
ui><
barcode type="pdf417" dataLength="10" moduleWidth="0.0133in" moduleHeight="0.02661in" errorCorrectionLevel="5"/></
ui><
value><
text>1234567890</text></
value></
field>
and not...
<field name="PaperFormsBarcode1" w="82.55mm" h="44.45mm" access="readOnly"><
ui><
barcode type="pdf417" moduleWidth="0.338mm" moduleHeight="0.676mm" errorCorrectionLevel="5">
<?templateDesigner decodeMethod 2?>
<?templateDesigner delimiter '\t'?></barcode></
ui><
calculate><
script contentType="application/x-javascript">
...completely void of script and the value in only the <text> element.

How to Flatten/Print to PDF Multiple PDF Forms at Once?

Hi all! I receive multiple PDF forms per day. I file these forms electronically by using "print to Adobe PDF" (which flattens all the form fields). Is there a way to "print to Adobe PDF" multiple files at one? OR is there some other way to flatten form fields on multiple files at once? If I "combine supported files in Acrobat" the answers in the form fields of the first file auto-populate through all the other form fields in the additional files I combine.
I'm on a PC.

There are much better ways of flattening a form than by printing it via the PDF printer. This utility for example can help you with that task:
http://www.uvsar.com/projects/acrobat/flattener/
If you have Acrobat Pro then you can use a simple Action to flatten multiple files. Just have it execute the following JavaScript code:
this.flattenPages();

Which subscription versions flatten PDF forms?

I'm putting together a PDF form for a client, for them to use as a quotation template. Once they have filled it in they need to be able to flatten the form so it isn't editable by the recipient. I have created one and used a small scrip to enable the fields to become non editable, but they are still visible as form fields (if that makes sense. The problem is, when they send the quote to a customer who may be using an iPhone or iPad, because its still classed as a form, the info in the fields is not displayed. I've searched online and see there is some Javascript that can flatten a form into a standard PDF, and some versions of Acrobat also have the option to flatten a form, but with the new subscription version I can't find which would be the cheapest option (either with a .js or without) to enable the client to do this. They are currently using the free Adobe reader to do my original solution. P.S. both me and the client are on Mac's
Any help would be great!

The Forms Creation where you use filliable forms that can be saved and attached to email, (500 returns max - using the Advanced > Extend Features in Reader). Works also in version 7 or reader. Nothing below 7 will work.

I need to make a pdf form that is fillable and send from ipad to email not tracked just the complete email. Can someone help me.

I have forms that I have created with submit buttons, that are filled out and sent complete to an email box. I would like to do the same only have my form filled out on an ipad and then have the submit button send the completed form the same way.
I don't want to gather the data, since i am doing this for another department. They want to track there own data via the Pdf's they receive. Is this possible?

majende,
Adobe Reader for iOS does support a Submit button.
(a) Button action to submit an entire PDF document via email
(b) JavaScript submitForm to Adobe FormsCentral
Do you use the desktop version of Adobe Acrobat to create a PDF form?
For option (a)
Add the "Submit a form" action to your Submit button.
Enter "mailto:" (including a colon) followed by email recipient(s). Please add a comma between two email addresses.
Example: [email protected], [email protected]
Select "PDF The complete document".
This particular type of PDF form will work with Adobe Reader desktop and mobile products (including Adobe Reader for iOS and Android).
In Adobe Reader for iOS, a user can do the following steps to submit the particular type of PDF form.
Fill out the PDF form.
Tap the Submit button in the PDF form.
Select "Share Original Document" or "Share Flattened Copy" from the Share File dialog.
Adobe Reader for iOS will automatically fill in the email address(es) that you specified when you created the PDF form.
Tap the Send button in the upper right corner.
Adobe Reader for iOS will send the PDF form as an email attachment via Apple Mail (the default mail app for iOS).
Please let us know if you have additional questions.

How can I export a PDF form and the filled in fields to a text document?

OK, so I have a situation. I need people to be able to open a reader-enabled PDF form, fill out the form fields, and then export the filled-out PDF form to a basic text document. This seems easy since Adobe Reader can save to text. The problem is, the answers in the form fields do not show in the text file! Each radio button shows as yes and no, and there is no indication in the text file which one was selected. In addition, the form fields are not exported next to the questions on the form. I tried flattening the form in Adobe pro, and that did not work either.
How can I create a fillable form for Adobe Reader, and then let the user export their answers AND the questions on the form to plain text?

OK, so I tried this as a starting point, and assigned it to a button on page 3 of the form.
p=0;
console.show();
console.clear();
for (var j = 0; j < this.getPageNumWords(p);j++) {
 var word = this.getPageNthWord(p,j,false);
 console.println(word);
This gives me all the words on the first page not in fields, and each word goes on a separate line. Now, characters in the document such as "&" or ")" cause the rest of the word to go on the next line down.
Next, I tried this:
console.show();
console.clear();
for (var j = 0; j < this.getPageNthWord(j);j++)
 var word = this.getPageNthWord(j,false);
 console.println(word);
This only gives me the first word on page 3, the page the button is placed?
What I need to do is run the code and place words on one line until the code hits a keyword "var cKeyWord1 = “Key1” for example?, then insert the value of field one, Start a new line in the console, restart the code where it left off until it hits the next key word "var cKeyWord2 = “Key2”, insert the value of field two, add a new line, and on and on.
Is this possible?

Is there a way to merge Static PDF files and PDF Forms

Hi All,
The issue I am facing is this: 1200+ PDF forms that employees
will need to sign. The docs are being created in MS Word, and all
have a standard signature block. We have prototyped using LiveCycle
Designer 8 to add fields to static PDF files (print Word files into
Acrobat, import into LiveCycle and paste in fields) but this is
pretty labor-intensive to use with a minimum of 1200 forms per
quarter.
The employee forms go into a CF8/Oracle library app (stored
as BLOBs) and served up for 7,000 or so employees to sign. Posted
data goes back into database.
Here is the issue:
Does anyone know any way to use some combination of cfpdf /
cfpdfform / cfdocument that will allow us to create ONE generic
signature block form, 1200 static PDF files, and merge them on the
fly?
<cfdocument> apparently does not allow PDF data to be
included with a <cfpdfform>, as I have tried outputting PDF
variables, toBinary(PDF variable), PDF served by <cfcontent>
and various other combinations.
(If the non-form data were HTML, we could easily output in a
<cfdocumentsection> of the cfdocument, and add the
<cfpdfform source="#genericForm#" action="populate"> and be
done with it. But, we can't.)
<cfpdf action="merge"> with a combination of a static
PDF file and a populated form results in a flattend PDF file with
no form data.
I am acutely aware that LiveCycle 8 uses the XFA schema, and
regular PDF documents use a different schema. And, this may
prohibit what we want to do.
If anyone has experience with CF8 PDFs and PDF forms, or has
any helpful thoughts, I would be appreciatively gross. Needless to
say, this is a six month project that must be live at the end
November.
Thanks!
Jim Bates
Verizon Business

As I mentioned on the other thread, the forms need to be
flattened. CFPDF cannot flatten LiveCycle forms, only Acrobat
Forms. The suggested solution was to use LiveCycle ES
http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.3c052176

There are hidden pages in the PDF form I have. How can I see and print all without clicking on the

I have hidden pages in the PDF form I'm using (but didn't create). How can I see and print all the pages at once without clicking on the "next page" button. In the initial view, there are four pages, but if I click the "next page" button, there are a total of 12 pages in this document. This is three budget years, each year being 4 pages long.

You're most likely dealing with a dynamic XFA form created in LiveCycle Designer. You can open it, click the button, and save it, and it will most likely be 12 pages when next opened, but it depends on how the form is set up. The ability to make edits to an XFA form in Acrobat is very limited, especially for dynamic forms, so things like flattening aren't possible.
If it's not an XFA form, you'd still need to click the button at least once and save. To say for sure what's possible, I'd need to see the document. Can you post it somewhere?

How do I lock a PDF form field after it has been completed by a user?

We have a problem with privacy on our downloadable Pdf Forms for customers, they are required to complete personal details within the Pdf Form Fields and then must be processed by our account team.
But we would require customer completed forms to be disabled from any third party or employee tampering with the entered details.
Once the data has been input into the form provided online and saved and sent-on it needs to be read ONLY from then on!
Help please, Chris.

It depends how secure they need to be. You could include a script in the form which sets the fields to be read-only when the form is submitted, but that can easily be bypassed (and may not be respected by third party PDF applications). Search this forum topic for examples, it's been asked many times before.
If you have Acrobat you can flatten a form, turning the fields into regular page content, but that's not possible in Adobe Reader X. While the flattened page can no longer be edited in Reader, it can still be edited in Acrobat via the touchup tools, so for complete security you would need to apply encryption to the flattened PDF (via a certifying signature or DRM).

Combine PDF Forms w/o merging fields?

I have nearly 60 grant applications that were submitted to me by individuals, each in a Form I created that they downloaded from my website. I need to combine these files into one document that can be numbered from beginning to end. When I go to merge the files into one single PDF document, I get the following message:
"Any form fields that have the same name in the merged documents are now merged into one field. If you want these values to be unique, then you need to create a PDF Package instead of merging the files."
Sure enough, when the documents are combined, every applicant's information is replaced by the first document's information. There is NO WAY I can go through and rename the form fields in 100 documents, and yet I need all these forms in one document so that I can add page numbers, etc. Help!
David

Note that layers are not involved in this at all. I was able to successfully flatten that last form that you sent. What happens if you open the form in Acrobat, open the interactive JavaScript console (Ctrl+J), type in the following line:
flattenPages();
And with the cursor on the line, press Ctrl+Enter

I have been creating forms in InDesign and pulling into Acrobat XI Pro to do form fields. My client would like to fill in the PDF form, save under a different name locally on their device, and redistribute. The problem I have is that, sometimes, they want

I have been creating forms in InDesign and pulling into Acrobat XI Pro to do form fields. My client would like to fill in the PDF form using Reader, save under a different name locally on their device, and redistribute. The problem I have is that, sometimes, they want to redistribute the form as Read Only. I know how to flatten the form on a mobile device, but uncertain how they can do that with a PC or Mac using Adobe Reader. I looked at FormsCentral thinking there might be a solution going that route, but don't believe there is. Any advice?

FormsCentral won't help with flattening a form. You could set up the form in Acrobat so that the fields are set to read-only, using JavaScript. Not quite the same as flattening but it's the best Reader can do.
Note that when Reader is used to e-sign a document, it gets flattened, but this won't be possible if you need to Reader-enable the form and under certain other conditions.

Saving and sending a pdf form in a non-editable format (i.e. as an image)

I have created a pdf form with editable fields (text fields, drop-down menus etc). After the form has been filled and graphically signed, I would like create a button to the form, which would save the form in a format that can not anymore be edited and then send this "image" form via e-mail. How could I do this ??

You can flatten the form to make form fields un-editable.
Go to Tools pane > Print Production > Preflight > PDF Fixups > Flatten Annotations and Form Fields
You can also create a custom Action to achieve this at a click of a button.

Wrong warning? to open with Reader (9.3.x or higher) "This PDF form requires a newer version of ..."

Hello
I have a problem with my form, when opened with Adobe Reader Version 9.3.0.148 (included) or higher Reader systematically shows the annoying message "This PDF form requires a newer version of Adobe Reader ...".
I work with 3 versions of each form:
1) Dynamic PDF Form XDP: Generated with Adobe Designer ES 8.2, (target version "Acrobat and Adobe Reader 8.0 or later. "
XDP form has no "Warings"
XFA-Template:
2) PDF Form, generated from the XDP form of point 1), using Adobe LC Forms ES2 "renderXDPForm" method.
3) Flatten PDF, generated from the PDF form, resulting in point 2) value, using Adobe LC Assembler ES2.
DDX:
I have generated 3 different PDF rendering, changing only the "target version":
a.1 PDFFormRenderSpec.setAcrobatVersion (AcrobatVersion.Acrobat_6): MyForm-ES-AcroVersion6.pdf.
b.1 PDFFormRenderSpec.setAcrobatVersion (AcrobatVersion.Acrobat_7_0_5): MyForm-ES-AcroVersion7.pdf
c.1 PDFFormRenderSpec.setAcrobatVersion (AcrobatVersion.Acrobat_8): MyForm-ES-AcroVersion8.pdf
Of all that I've created a flat version using Assembler:
a.2: MyForm-ES-AcroVersion6-flatten.pdf
b.2: MyForm-ES-AcroVersion7-flatten.pdf
c.2: MyForm-ES-AcroVersion8-flatten.pdf
Attach all forms of work[zip 4 download].
Well ... I tried to open all forms generated (six) with versions of Adobe Reader from 8.1.0 to 10.0.1.434 X and the findings are that the annoying warning message is displayed only with the flattened forms and from version 9.3 .0.148 (included) or higher.
Table of test, where
OK= No message at open.
Err= Message displayed.
I do not understand or just logical that the most current versions (and higher) Reader is precisely this message to appear at what may be due? What's happening?
Why the message is taught only in the flattened forms?
How I can solve this problem?
Thanks.

I do not use the method "renderPDFForm" (at least not explicitly), instead use the "renderXDPForm (...)".
I added the XDP form the zip (I forgot): download from here!
And the only parameter that you can tell this method over the "target" of the resulting PDF is "com.adobe.idp.services.PDFFormRenderSpec. "
/* Common to all generated PDF */
com.adobe.idp.services.PDFFormRenderSpec renderSpec= new com.adobe.idp.services.PDFFormRenderSpec();
renderSpec.setLinearizedPDF(true);
renderSpec.setLocale("es_ES");
renderSpec.setRenderAtClient(RenderAtClient.No);
renderSpec.setCacheEnabled(false);
renderSpec.setStandAlone(true);
/* Target version 8 o superior: Usede ONLY to generate "MyForm-ES-AcroVersion8.pdf" */
renderSpec.setAcrobatVersion(AcrobatVersion.Acrobat_8);
/* Target version 7.0.5 o superior: Usede ONLY to generate "MyForm-ES-AcroVersion7.pdf" */
renderSpec.setAcrobatVersion(AcrobatVersion.Acrobat_7_0_5);
/* Target version 6 o superior: Usede ONLY to generate "MyForm-ES-AcroVersion6.pdf" */
renderSpec.setAcrobatVersion(AcrobatVersion.Acrobat_6);
After this, process PDF forms resulting in Assembler.
I tried also NO explicitly assign the "AcroVersion" ... and in such cases, the resulting AcroVersion indicated corresponds to the time of design (Adobe Designer, File / Form Properties / Default / Target Version), and in such cases the resulting PDF, also displays the warning message.
I do not know if I answered your question.
Any idea?

Flattening a PDF Form

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