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How can I flatten a signed pdf? Lost all data.

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Level 2

Hi

I am trying to flatten a signed pdf using output->transformPDF but lost all data. How to solve that?should I use other components? Any documentation or examples?

Thanks!

wayne

12 Replies

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Level 8

I know this is going to sound odd, but it really depends on how you populated the data into the form.

If you used the Form Data Integration's importData then the data is in the form, but hasn't been "rendered" up to the visual layer.  The thing that confuses some users (myself included) is that when you look at the form (before flattening) it has the data.  This is because Acrobat/Reader perform that final "rendering" operation when you open the form.

I know that this issue has been raised with Adobe and they acknowledge its a limitation (its not technically a bug).  I understand that they have been looking at possible solutions.

If, on the other hand, you use the Forms.renderPDFForm or Output.generatePDFOutput then you won't have that problem.  These operations do a full re-render of the document.  Output.generatePDFOutput should also generate a flat document for you.

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Level 2

Hi Hodmi,

Thank you very much for these helpful information. After taking your suggestions, I am able to use either Forms.renderPDFForm or Output.generatePDFOutput to output the pdf file with data. The problem I have now is all the fields in the PDF file is editable! After trying more than 50+ times to adjust properties of either Forms.renderPDFForm or Output.generatePDFOutput, I am still can not figure it out. By looking around this forum, Jasmin also said Output.generatePDFOutput can convert a interactive PDF to non-interactive PDF. Could you give me more hints? Thanks a ton!

The goal I want to achieve is something like Print to "Adove PDF" Printer, which is able to erase the combo boxes (other objects) in my PDF and just keep the data.

My email address is: ywang@blcpro.com and if you can let me know your email address I can send you the pdf form.

Appreciate your help!

Wayne

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Level 2

How to use Output.generatePDFOutput to generate a flat document? Could you give more info? thanks.

wayne

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Level 8

Output only produces "flat" (non-interactive) documents.  Are you saying that you used the generatePDFOutput operation and you can still enter data in the form fields using Acrobat/Reader?

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Level 2

Hi Hodmi,

Yes. the output are still editable. Please see attached picture for the process flow and configurations. I may not configure the component correctly.

Thanks.

Wayne

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Level 8

Not sure what to tell you.  I've talked to a few people here and the consensis is that Output can't render interactive documents.  I tried it myself just to be sure (my LCA is attached) and with both PDF and XDP using all three Render At Cleint options, I get a flat document with data.

Have you tried turning on the record and playback option in the workbench and then look at the playback?  Is the PDF generated in the playback interactive?

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Level 2

Thanks Hodmi,

I looked the playback and the PDF generated is editable in Reader.

Could you help try to flat the problem pdf attached? I am able to print it to "Adobe PDF" printer and the output is good. I just can not get the same output using LC.

The content is in Chinese.

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Level 2

InternalUserRegistrationOutput2_flat.pdf (126.8 K) has not data in it, like First Name, Last Name etc...

Any thoughts?

thanks.

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Level 8

I didn't have your data file - so no there will be no data in some of the fields.  Do you have an XML file that you would like merged?  If so, post it and I'll give it a try.

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Level 2

InternalUserRegistrationOutput2.pdf (270.0 K) does have data in it. snapshot enclosed in case Chinese language is not supported by your adobe reader. Moreover, I am able to extract the data from the pdf as an xml which is also enclosed.

thanks!

wayne

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Level 7

Hodmi - How can I flatten a PDF with a signature, using workbench?

If I use the XML, it will not retain the signature field. This post is very useful.

Aditya