Mapping Javascript Text to Buttons Automatically

Question

I know how to throw javascript into individual buttons in Acrobat.  However, we are generating a document with thousands of buttons, most of which will have similar javascript and will behave similarly (e.g. clicking on a button will open to a different page view, perhaps in another document in the same folder.)  I would like to be able to write the javascript text for each button using a VB macro to create a txt file for each button.  I know how to do this also. 
What I do not know how to do, or even know if it is possible is to automate a process of tying the respective javascript that was generated in the txt files to buttons.  I assume the easiest way to do it is use a naming convention for each button that mimics the naming convention for my txt files.  This will allow for each button to identify with the text within it's respective txt file.  That leaves only one problem:  Finding a way to automate the transfer from each txt file to each button's javascript.  Can I write a script to do this?  If so, what is the best platform?  Can I do that with Javascript inside Acrobat?  I'm guessing that I can, but I'm so new to javascript that I'm not sure how to go about doing it.  fyi, i've written alot of vb code, which isn't the same, but at least i have a decent amount of code experience...i just need to learn javascript syntax and pdf structure. One last question:  Might it be possible and maybe even easier to insert the javascript from an external source like a VB program using the Adobe SDK?  Can the SDK do that?  I've messed with the SDK before and it appeared to have very limited operability on PDF's.

Answer 1

Thanks to everyone who has helped me learn this stuff.  I've been looking at the pages and references that you have given me so far.  Now I can manipulate PDF with VBA code written in excel.  It's very similar to the scrips shown for a standalone VB program, just some differences in document declaraion (particularly in using objects).   I've noticed in the VBA (excel) script i can't get the "props" of an existing annotation, but I can for one that I'm just creating....
'Defining Stuff, I have alot more variables but I'm just showing the ones pertinent to my quandry.
Dim acroannotation As Acrobat.AcroPDAnnot
Dim props As Variant
Dim myAnnot As Object
'This works:
Set myAnnot = jso.AddAnnot
Set props = myAnnot.getProps
'This doesn't:
Set acroannotation = Acropage.GetAnnot(1)
Set myAnnot = acroannotation
Set props = myAnnot.getProps
I noticed in the SDK, the examples show props being defined as an object just like 'myAnnot.'  However, at the end of the VB tutorial, it indicates that I should use variant for most JSObject references.  That doesn't really matter.  What does matter is that I can't figure out how to get the 'props' object from an existing annotation.  Am I doing something wrong in trying to reference it?  It gives me the ole' Runtime Error 438: Object does not support this property or method, which usually means a type mismatch.  I also tried "Set props = acroannotation.getProps", thinking that actually referencing the Annotation object instead of the "Object" object, but I still got the same error.
Finally, when I do figure out how to getProps for an existing annotation (the annotation is a button by the way, but I don't think that matters), I still have yet to find any reference as to how to use the "setAction" method for a button through the JSObject.
Thanks for any input on the matter.