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Email or store submitted PDF form using PHP

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Former Community Member

I'm using LiveCycle Designer 8.0. I've searched a lot but haven't seen any answers or solutions to submitting the filled out pdf form online and the pdf sending to an email without it having to use an email client on the users computer.

I'd prefer to use php and either save to the server or directly send the pdf as an attachment using the php mail() function. Any language would be fine, I'm just experienced with php.

If anyone would have a solution to this, I am fully capable of editing scripting to send the correct fields for my particular form. I've just not been able to find a way to store and attach in pdf format. Since the LiveCycle has the built-in function to open your default mail client, attach the pdf, and then send - isn't there some way that function could be edited to use the servers php mail feature instead?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. The reason this has become so important is that the new systems at some doctor's offices are requiring pdf's sent in advance that save in a program that allows the use of digital pen signing (like when you sign for a fedex package) of the documents once the patient arrives. And unfortunately, still many of the patients are not going to be avid pc users and will not have an email client program like outlook set up.

Thanks much,

Heather

10 Replies

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Former Community Member

So why not simply post the form to the web server (using a submit button on the form to post to a URL). The submit button will allow you to chnage the submit type to PD. Then you must Reader Extend the document to allow the completed PDF to be submitted (if you are using Reader). This can be done in Acrobat under the Advanced/Extend Features for Reader option.

Paul 

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Former Community Member

Thank you for your answer. I completely understand how to do all the things you mention, have been able to do them - where I can't seem to understand is posting to the web server. Maybe it's just simple and I'm overthinking it. When I set a url to post to, I've been trying to use a php script, but can't get the call right to save or grab the pdf.

Could you help me with that part? Are you meaning it that way - to post it to a script or am I over-doing it and there's a simpler way?

I appreciate your help very much.

Heather

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Former Community Member

Nope you have it right .....can you post your form?

Paul

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Former Community Member

On the submit button definition where you enter the URL of the php script you want to call there is a dropdown just below that called "Submit AS" on the drop down you can choose PDF. Right now you have it set as XDP (an XML Data Package).

Remember about the Reader Extensions ...I mentioned it in an earlier post.

Paul

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Former Community Member

I just kept switching things up and changing to different formats in the hopes I could get the php to print the request out showing where to grab the pdf from.

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Former Community Member

Are you using Reader to do the submit? Did you Reader Extend the doc? Try chaning the submission to XDP and validate that you are calling the PHP script.

Paul

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Former Community Member

I guess the biggest problem is I don't know the correct php code to use to take the submitted pdf and save it to the server or email it through the php mail() as an attachment. Setting it to submit as http post was the only way I could see any info passing, but that's just variables. The email the doctor receives needs to be in pdf format, but most of his patients don't have an email program set up on their pc's.

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Former Community Member

I do not know PHP but if you do a search on the web there must be some information out there. I did a search using "submit PDF to PHP" and found a lot of hits.

Paul

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Level 1

Can you help me with the php code?