Form calculation does not work in some readers/computers

[Former Community Member]

Hello!

This is a weird problem: I have this form where I place three numeric fields, two of them for the user to fill in, the third one to calculate the sum of the previous ones.

I'm using this FormCalc expression:

     this.rawValue = bobina1.rawValue + bobina2.rawValue

Well, it works... but only on some machines.

When investigating, the team found out it could be solved by activating JavaScript... but still it doesn´t work on Acrobat Readers version 9.3 or below.

When trying this with Readers version 9,4 it worked, but still the JavaScript activation had to be done.

Questions:

Is there a way of activating JavaScript automatically once a PDF is open?  How?

OR

is there a way of activating JavaScript in Reader version 9.4 and above automatically when installing?

Thank you very much!

Marcos

[radzmar · Accepted solution]

Hi,

to execute scripts in forms you always have to activate JavaScript, no matter if the form uses JavaScript or FormCalc.

This setting cannot be done via scripting, only by the users or admin.

If Acroat/Reader detects scriptings in a form, it generally should inform the users (yellow bar) and ask to aktivate it.

[Former Community Member]

Hi radzmar!

Thank you for the input.

Now, this is a problem... imagine 20 thousand employees in a factory, most of them not too computer literate, having to be instructed about this procedure...

Maybe Adobe could open the API to make it possible to activate this via scripting... that would help a lot!

Thank you!

Marcos

[Jono_Moore]

That would be a bit of a security risk, not to mention difficult to do if scripting is turned off!

I've got a sample which shows how to check if JavaScript is turned on so you can warn the user:

https://acrobat.com/#d=ymlPW2HMEWTn5lmxLFkDKA

[Former Community Member]

Hey Jono!

Well, I understand the risks, you're right.

Thank you VERY MUCH for the sample!! 

Marcos

[tricia5005]

I realize this is an old post but it's 2019 and I'm having the same problem and hoping a user-friendly solution has been found.

My form was created in LiveCycle 8 and includes a section with auto-calculation. The PDF works fine for me, however it's not working for those I distribute it to & they don't mention seeing a message about having to activate JavaScript. The fields just won't populate or calculate for them.

I thought there was something I could do on my end with user rights or something so this form would work for everyone, not just me.

I'd appreciate any help I could get here. Thank you!

[_Bruce_Robertson]

Are you distributing it to people in the same organization, with the same build of PC, maybe it's the way Reader has been deployed.

Happy to try it on my computer if you can share your form.

[tricia5005]

Hello & thanks for offering to try it.

I'm emailing my reply so I can attach the file. It just contains that portion of the code. It works for me when I open it on my computer with Acrobat Reader DC and Acrobat 9 Pro, but my test users, who have downloaded the latest version of Acrobat Reader, do not get anything in the cost column when they check a box. This is a form the general public will be downloading - not something within a company.

Please let me know if you got the form or not.

Thanks!

[tricia5005]

Hi BR001,

I take it you didn't get the form. Please try downloading from printcuts.com/BR001

When a checkbox is checked, a number should populate in the Cost column field across from it.

In the bottom field where a number is manually entered, that number is multiplied and the product appears in the Cost column field across from it.

I thought something in the email could be disabling functionality for the users, so I emailed it to myself at another address, but the form still worked. Then I downloaded it from the above link and it also still worked for me.

So why it won't work for others who also have the latest version of Acrobat Reader - is a mystery.

If anyone can figure out this discrepancy, it will be quite a victory!

To all who help, I appreciate your time and efforts!

[_Bruce_Robertson]

Hi,

So, your form seems to work fine for me and there isn't anything I can see that is unusual.

I'll try a few other machines in the morning but this looks like a simple form (which I like mirrors a paper form very nicely).

Will let you know.

Regards

Bruce

[tricia5005]

Hi Bruce - I look forward to the rest of the results.

Thank you for testing!

Pat

[_Bruce_Robertson]

Hi Pat,

I have tried several versions back to Reader 9, and they all worked fine.

Do you know the versions of Reader and their OS that you are having problems with?

Regards

Bruce

[tricia5005]

Thank you Bruce.

They downloaded the latest version of Acrobat Reader and are using Windows, as am I. That's why I don't understand it.

Regards,

Pat

[_Bruce_Robertson]

Do they get the purple info bar

Hard for me to tell if it's working for me, are they opening it in Reader from there local file system, or in a browser?  Maybe go though these steps Troubleshoot viewing PDF files on the web

[tricia5005]

Thank you Bruce, I will check the link.

There were times when I downloaded PDFs from other sites and got the purple note, but not when I've made my own file.

I have Acrobat Reader DC and Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro. Also, I'm still on Windows 8.

Meanwhile, one of my testers sent me this info: I use windows 10, Microsoft edge and the latest adobe reader 32. Still no calcs.

After sending the above message in this reply, my tester downloaded Acrobat Reader DC and the form worked with that!

I can just include a note on the form with a link for the user to download it if the want the form to work properly - or they can print it out.

That's the cure!