Email PDF Form and Sign Entire Submission - Can this lock the form and show the signature?

[Former Community Member]

Thanks to those who explained how to create a button that allows me to email a form as a PDF rather than XML. It helped me a great deal.



Now I want to cause our time sheet adjustment form to be emailed from the employee to their supervisor, and have the form-data be read-only, and the employee signature to be obvious to the recipient.



I've tried checking the Sign Submission check box in the Submit tab of the Button Object window, (where the mailto: tag has been entered.



I clicked the "Settings..." button on the Submit tab and then, under the "Sign Data and Submit Settings" dialog box I selected "Sign Entire Submission". But this does not lock the data and the resulting PDF form once emailed, shows no sign of a signature.



I also tried adding a signature field, and clicked on it to add a signature. But once the signature was added, the Button was disabled and I could not submit the form via the mailto: tag.



Is there a way to signa form with a self-signed signature, and email the entire PDF such that the recipient can see the signature, and that the data are no longer editable?



Wouldn't that just be ducky...?



Thanks again,



-David Bartholomew

[_Aandi_Inston_]

The thing is that, once signed, it shouldn't be relevant whether

things can be changed. The signature is the proof of the file

contents. If it is changed, the signature can be seen to be invalid.



Checking for the signature (NOT just something on the page, but the

actual signature properties) is vital in any signed workflow; it's the

only protection you have against unauthorized changes. Locking the

fields is not a protection, because anyone could fake up a form.



Aandi Inston

[Former Community Member]

Thanks for your comment.



However the PDF I have created shows no signs of being signed at all. I'm new to Adobe Acrobat signatires but those that I have used show up on the form visibly. But in this case, when I allow a button click to apply a signature and email the form, there is no apparent signature.



Checking the Sign Submission check box in the Submit tab of the Button pops up a "Sign Data" Digital Identification dialog where the user can click "Sign". And then the email client loads with an attachment already attached and the email address already filled in.



But when that PDF is read, how can the recipient know that the document was signed and by whom? I've inspected it and it is not apparent how to tell this version was signed.



It would be cool if the signature was visible or if Acrobat showed some symbol that this document has a signature. But signing is either not working in this test, or the signature is hidden.



What am I doing wrong?



-David

[_Aandi_Inston_]

>However the PDF I have created shows no signs of being signed at all. I'm new to Adobe Acrobat signatires but those that I have used show up on the form visibly.



The visible sign on the page is of no importance; best to forget it

and CERTAINLY never trust it. This is no more proof than a rubber

stamp left in a public place.



To check signatures, your end users must be trained to do this

correctly: ignore what it says on the page about being signed in ALL

CASES and look at the signature viewer.



View > Navigation panels > Signatures.



Aandi Inston

[Former Community Member]

Thanks for your comment. I suppose I need to add a context to my intended usage to explain why I want what I described. I want the signature to be apparent so users can see that a submission was signed. These forms that I am considering will replace a paper form used internally within my organization, to request a time card change. They only need to be signed as a pro-forma requirement.



If the electronic forms solution is approved by management, I will make a case that since the network is a closed intranet, there is little consequential likelihood that a fellow employee would forge another's time card change request. And since the new form would be submitted through email, there is a further validation that the email will identify the sender's email address. This proposed electronic submission method is certainly as valid as forms where users cut and paste an image of their signature in a document...



The good news is that since I asked this question, I discovered the samples that came with LCD 8...



An example can be found in the Live Cycle Interactive Purchase Order sample found at [installdir]\EN\Samples\Purchase Order\Interactive.



The interactive Purchase Order sample shows how a collection of fields can be defined and then the signature applied only to the data in the collection. The email button is defined as not included in the collection. This way the signature field can be used, and once the document is signed, the email button remains enabled.



The interactive purchase order sample also demonstrates how a drop down list can be populated by a JavaScript as well as some array handling syntax that I've been looking for.



I recommend the samples to anyone who, like me, may not have been aware of their relevance.



Thanks again, this forum is a great resource.



-David

[Former Community Member]

David:

Are you using the Microsoft Certificate Server in the process? We are doing Time Sheets and Leave forms but do have some issues with the signature symbol dislay.



Max Starner

Franklin County OH