I have a working PDF form that was created in Adobe and Designer (Livecycle). I needed to add (import) 5 pages from another PDF into the form. I can import while in Adobe Acrobat Pro and the new pages display fine, including all the form fields, buttons, etc...
However when I switch back to Designer to add database fields to the newly added pages, the pages are missing/do not disply.
I open the form back up in Adobe acrobat Pro and the new pages are there.
Any thoughts? Why cant I see the new pages in Designer?
Taking all the previous posts into consideration...
How would you add new pages to a 31 page PDF Form that populates fields from a database query?
Keep in mind I have an existing form that I created in Acrobat and then used Designer to create the database connections that allow the form's fields to be sourced to the database. The fomr uses a dropdown selector to choose a record from the SQL databse from which to populate the rest of the 31 page form.
This form uses javascript, xml, and FormCalc. It is a rather sophisticated and complex form. I created all 31 pages at once and this is the first time I have to "add" additonal pages to modify the form.
This is where I am having problems. The option to add/insert pages is greyed out and unavailble in Designer. This is my original problem.
I only mention using Acrobat because in Acrobat (for comparison puposes), I can add the additional pages.
So I guess the bottom line question is "How do you add pages to a PDF that is managed using Designer when the option to add pages is greyed out.?" AND "Why is it greyed out to begin with?"
Log on to the Acrobat User Community and under How To go to the JavaScript Corner. At the botton of the page there is a link to view all of Thom's tips. You will find the following
JavaScript Corner
Inserting pages into a PDF with Acrobat JavaScript
One of the most common document-preparation tasks is inserting pages from one PDF into another PDF. Whether it's simply appending documents or inserting individual pages into special locations, the Acrobat user interface can be very cumbersome when this is a frequent task. Fortunately, page insertion is also one of the easiest tasks to automate and has been part of the Acrobat JavaScript model since version 5.
Thanks Nancy but that's not it. I wish I could paste an image of what I am doing. If you have ever worked in Adobe LiveCycle Designer, (which is part of Adobe ACrobat Pro), you will see that this a more intense developement tool for your PDF's. With LiveCycle you can attach you PDF to databases and do some other really creative things. The problem is that adding new pages is greyed out in Designer. At this point I am guessing that it is because it is the version that is included in Acrobat Pro and it is "crippled" on pupose. I'll bet that in the stand-alone, more expensive version of LiveCycle ES that option is not greyed out. I'm done. No more postings from me on this topic. I'm switching this form BACK to Word using mailmerge where I KNOW I won't have anymore flakey issues. I only choose to move this PDF because I thought it would be simpler to manage but I was WRONG.
>Have you clicked on the "Body pages" tab first? And have you selected the top level form in the Heirarchy palette?
There is not a "Body Pages Tab". There is a "Heirarchy" tab displayed, but when you select the "topmostSubform" or any other page, the option to "insert page set" and "new page" are still greyed out.
I am using "Adobe LiveCycle Designer 8", which was included with my "Adobe Acrobat Porfessional Version 8".
I am starting to think that this version that is included with Acrobat Pro is crippled by design.
With version 8 it is possible to connect to a Database by ADBC, but it will require a registry change. The other option, is create all the pages without form field in Acrobat and then import the PDF into LiveCycle Designer and then add the fields.
The design problem has existed since Acrobat version 6. This was the first version of Acrobat after the acquisition of JetForms by Adobe. LiveCycle Designer is the continuance of the JetForm product, which uses XML while Acro Forms uses the FDF type format which is unique to Acorbat. It appears that Adobe is moving more to the LiveCycle Designer and away from the Acro Form product. It appears that ADBC is not available in version 9.
>The other option, is create all the pages without form field in Acrobat and then import the PDF into LiveCycle Designer and then add the fields.
This is what I orignally did and it works great. I simply want add/import/insert additional pages to the document now. The option to do so in Designer is greyed out. Switch to Acrobat Pro I can import/insert the new pages, however when switching back to Designer to add the database fields to the newly imported pages, the pages do not display at all.
Why does designer even have options to insert addition pages if it doesn't work?
>The other option, is create all the pages without form field in Acrobat and then import the PDF into LiveCycle Designer and then add the fields.
That's what I did. My problem is, and has been - How to ADD additional pages to the file later?
Yes, you can add additional pages later using Acrobat, but when you switch to Designer to add fields to the additional pages, the pages are not available, they don't even display. Yet when the exact same file is opened up in Acrobat, the new pages are there! ???
If I have understood your plight correctly, my workaround after I have added pages to the original PDF was to then replace the artwork in the LiveCycle form with the amended PDF(Edit, Replace Artwork).
I have a form with many fields that was created w/ Adobe Designer 7.
In Adobe Designer 7, how do you add other regular existing PDF single-page documents to the trailing end of this existing FORM, so that now the whole thing is more than one page. This is very non-intuitive no-thanks to adobe. No "add pages" option anywhere in designer 7. Note, "add body page" is NOT the same as importing/concatenating an existing pdf to an existing one-page form so it then becomes page 2. Please reply only if you know of *specific* steps thanks.
