HTML and Fillable PDF forms

[SI_MSD7]

My question is two-fold:

1. How easy is it to convert an existing fillable PDF form to HTML? What tools are needed to facilitate this process? I know Amgraf has a product that enables this, but I'm looking for a solution that perhaps LiveCycle can render. Is this possible within Designer, or does it require a different LiveCycle server component?

2. Let's say I was able to achieve item#1 above... what is the process / script necessary to capture HTML form data and have it populate a blank version of an exisiting fillable PDF residing on a server? I understand there is some intermediate CGI script involved, but unsure how to implement this process.

Thanks,

Shaun

[g5spark]

You can use FormsIVS on LC server to see what your form will look like in html.

Save your PDF as a xdp in Designer and copy over to the forms folder that FormsIVS uses.  I just did a search for *.xdp

On my box it is

C:\jboss-4.2.0_mssql2005\server\LC_SERVER\tmp\deploy\tmp262394240426adobe-forms-ivs-jboss.ear-contents\FormsIVS-exp.war\forms

If you have LC server bring up FormsIVS in a browser.  http://LC_SERVER:8080/FormsIVS/

If its your first time, goto Check/Change your preferences and set the admin user name/pwd

then Click on Test your form designs link

Select your form and for Output format select html4.  Click Use EJB or WebService.

What you'll see in your browser is the form rendered by LC in HTML format.  If you wrote script it may not work in HTML rendering.

As for populating a form, you should be able to use FormDataIntegration.Import/Export data or Output service to take xml data and merge it to a blank pdf.  You may want to map a XSD to the form if the structure is complex vs. using the out of the box form structure.  If you have acrobat you can see what that looks like by navigating Forms>Manage Form Data > Export Data.  Not very good if you've got repeating rows.

[SI_MSD7]

@g5spark, thank you very much; I really appreciate the info!

For the most part, I follow what you're saying, but the only thing is... I don't have a server, nor do I have Forms ES, Workbench, or any other LiveCycle ES component other than Designer. I presume Forms ES is required to facilitate this process, correct?

I should also add that I'm not well-versed on JBOSS. I've done some initial research and I gather JBOSS can be installed on Windows OS as long as a Java Virtual Machine is present. But I guess none of this even matters if Forms ES is required to move fwd.

All in all, I was hoping there was an easier way to accomplish this task without requiring server-based assets. I guess the alternative would be to cerate an HTML form from scratch, and figure out the correct CGI script to have data merged into a blank PDF form residing on a server.

S

[g5spark]

You can download a turnkey LiveCycle server for free off of the adobe site.  It will include, JBOSS, mySQL DB and the LC server + trial license key.  Basically you unzip and setup the service to startup.  Unfortunately i never did it our installation so i can't give you step by step.

Forms Service, Output are components of the LiveCycle server.

Without LC server and just designer.  Create a html page to capture data.  Create a PDF and make sure you embed a XSD.  Write your cgi/jscript to generate the xml that will import into the form.  Im not exactly sure of the details of this since we always use LC server calls.  Im assuming in your web page jscript you'd create an instance of the object and import the data.  If it doesn't work you may have to include the form bridge object in Designer for the pdf.

[SI_MSD7]

Thanks!

[yashs27737309]

Hi SI_MSD7,

Are you able to render LiveCycle PDF to HTML?

If yes, how?

Did you install the turnkey LiveCycle Server? I tried to search for that but could not get the downloadable file on the Adobe site.