Connecting MS Access to Acrobat LiveCycle / AEM

[michelled191595]

Hi,

I am very new with using LiveCycle/AEM.

I am looking to connect my PDF Form within LiveCycle/AEM to a MS Access Database.

I am having trouble doing so.

These are the steps that I am following:

1. Click File

2. Click New Data Connection

3. Name the New Data Connection: DataConnection

4. Get data description from: Click OLEDB (I think, because MS Access)

5. Connection String: THIS IS WHERE I AM STUCK

Any information/comments is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Michelle

[Magus069]

Hi there,

you can view this short video on youtube which shows you basically how to connect to a database with PDF forms.

Simple ODBC Connections in Adobe LiveCycle ® - YouTube

Hope this help!

[michelled191595]

Hi,

That video helped alot!

I was successfully able to connect my MS database with my LiveCycle.

Now I am attempting to make data dropdown lists.

Image:

The information is correct in the dropdown and I was able to link the dropdown to a specific column in a specific table in my database.

The problem:

The actual dropdown is not functioning. I am unable to view other options as the dropdown button on the right side of the field doesn't work.

FYI: I am using the interactive option to preview in PDF.

Any comments or thoughts on this matter would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Michelle

[Magus069]

Hi there,

I have no clue what could make the drop down list behave like this... I would basically say that the access property is not open.

Maybe try to recreate another drop down list which in the object library is not called data drop down list. Otherwise I have no clue about what could fix this issue.

You can also have a drop down list which is not connected to the database but when you enter that field you copy the data of the drop down list that is connected to the database. That is just a workaround.

Hope this help!

[michelled191595]

Hi,

I figured it out! There was a problem with an update I had.

Another quick question though, since you seem to know a lot about this topic.

I was successfully able to create a drop down menu that pulls the dropdown value options in from my Access database. I have two other fields from access (or more like columns in access terms) that tie into the initial drop down box. I understand how to manually enter in binding text fields within Livecycle however, I am not sure how I can correlate values to come from the Access database instead. I have a basic level/ beginner understanding of how to script using JavaScript.

Image:

Here is a picture of what I am talking about. So the initial values all populated from Access. And the top number is a dropdown. So if someone were to select D1 I would want Gage Block Set Grade II and 10/14/2019 to autopoulate. How can I set up my dropdown/text fields this way. In other terms, the Gage Description and Calib Due Date would be read only text fields that automatically populate when a specific Gage Number is selected. And the Gage Description and Calib Due Date values are going to come directly from the Access Database.

Thanks,

Michelle

[Magus069]

Hi there,

This should not be very difficult. If you want the records from the database to show you the right information from each column of a specific record, you can easily use the ID as reference. If you set each dropdown list with the item text as the display value and the item value as the ID of the record as in the dynamic properties shown below :

you should be able to just display the right record with the other dropdown lists by using the rawValue of the actual dropdown list...

Like the following :

And you can do the same in the exit event of the other drop down lists as well, as long as the item value in dynamic properties of the drop down list is the ID of the record.

Hope this work!

[michelled191595]

Hi Magus,

I really appreciate your response.

I have a quick follow-up question. My Data Connection right now is not set to Default Data Binding because I have it set to my Data Connection (Adobe Access Database) to pull in the information.

I am a bit confused of what to do.

Image:

Thanks,

Michelle

[Magus069]

That's fine, I didn't meant to confuse you with the data connection, the image's purpose was meant to explain the difference for item text and item value... All I was trying to explain is Item Text should be 'GageNumber' and Item Value should be 'ID'.

[michelled191595]

Hi Magus069,

Thank you for your response! I am very new with Adobe LiveCycle and am not sure where to actually put the script that I create?

Thanks,

Michelle

[michelled191595]

Hi All,

For some reason my 'Binding Items' is greyed out. Any ideas of what I can do?

Image:

Thanks,

Michelle

[michelled191595]

Does anyone know what this means?

Image:

[Magus069]

To set the rawValue of the drop down lists, put the script in the exit event of any dropdown list that the user will choose the option in.

[Magus069]

This window is to change all related properties with the database.

Update all related properties will change the name, caption and value type of the field in livecycle with any default value and pattern if any.

You can also choose some of the options or don't update any related property and put the properties manually in livecycle.

[michelled191595]

Hi Magus069,

Where is the exit event located?

Thanks,

Michelle

[Magus069]

Hi there,

I suggest you take a look at some videos from this youtube channel, it may help you find some functionalities of LiveCycle and some basics scripting with javascript using LiveCycle..

Script Editor Basics in Adobe LiveCycle ® - YouTube