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How do you change the quality of imported PDFs?

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Level 1

I have been creating fillable forms in LiveCycle ES2, using my companies existing PDFs, importing them as fixed images, and adding form elements on top. When I have been looking back at what LiveCycle is producing in terms of quality, versus the PDFs I initially import in Acrobat, the quality is substantially worse in LiveCycle, and any PDFs that I import into and save from LiveCycle look to be a much lower quality. The images of our forms I am importing into Acrobat are 250dpi, 8.5x11. They look crisp and clean in Acrobat. When they are imported, the text looks more grainy when zoomed in, and the logos have jagged edges. I read that LiveCycle, by default, imports PDFs as a medium quality JPG. First, is there any way around this? I can't find an option anywhere to change the quality. If not, is there a workaround that would allow me to accomplish my goals?

I created a new, blank form in LiveCycle, added an image, and set it as the image of my PDF form. The quality is significantly better, however, the hierarchy is substantially different than when importing a fixed PDF, and I will lose my OCR recognized text from my original PDF.

3 Replies

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Level 8

I'm not sure of any way to correct the quality of the background PDF 'image' when importing into Designer.

Another option could be to import the PDF as a Flowable Layout. You might have to do a lot of text adjustments. Your logos will disappear but then you can put any quality logo you want back in.

I don't think XFAF forms (what you're trying to do) are very common or much supported lately.

Of course your best solution...make the form from scratch in Designer (which was my job back in 2007).

Kyle

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Level 1

Kyle,

Thanks for your response. To be clear, the way I am importing the PDF is by going to New in LiveCycle, and selecting Import a PDF document, and selecting Create and Interactive Form with Fixed Pages.

I cannot change the forms or pages, as they are created by our local Board. In otherwords, I have tryed used the flowable content, and upon import, not only are the fonts slightly different, but all the important artwork (trade-related) is gone, and is not in the exact positions it was in. The forms must meet the standards to which they were approved by the regional board, and there are state-mandated forms as well.

What surprises me is that you say this method of Fixed Content isn't used much any more. I would think that a lot of people would have PDF files they would wish to make into fillable, interactive forms without needing to reconstruct the entire document. Perhaps a company that has always done things on paper, and now wishes to use those exact same forms on the computer, with no deviations to looks so they can be printed and match up perfectly.

I thought about using Acrobat's internal form creation system. However, some of these forms have sophisticated options and the calculation scripts and systems within LiveCycle are very useful. Not to mention that it has a much larger scalability, should we chose to utilize it.

Any other suggestions? I am so confused why Adobe would force medium-quality import of a PDF, but be so incredibly flexible about every other option in their program.

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Level 8

I'll be perfectly honest, I don't know the scope of use when it comes to XFAF forms, I spoke a bit out of turn there, I really meant from my experience with multiple Canadian departments.

The department I work for now uses AcroForms for previously approved paper forms that need to be fillable. Any other new form would be made in LiveCycle. Any form that needed to be converted to LiveCycle but couldn't go through the normal design approval process, would be made in Designer and we use to literally put it on a light table next to the approved form for comparison (glad those days are over).

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, you might need to bite the bullet and use Acrobat based forms. Yes the calculations might not be as user friendly but they are still possible.

Sorry I couldn't help any further.

I'd love to here if there actually is away to control the import quality of PDFs into Designer. Even if it's through some complex workaround.

Kyle