I Script in Pig Latin

[Former Community Member]

In other words, I'm terrible at it. Would I be better off taking a class in Java Programming or one in Ajax Programming? I don't want to waste time learning something if it doesn't apply to LiveCycle but I obviously need scripting help. So I'd appreciate your opinions. Thanks.

[Jono_Moore · Accepted solution]

I would stick with JavaScript (not Java - they're are different beasts) and FormCalc. Unless you want to do more coding then moving into Java might be the way to go.

Before getting into LiveCycle a few years ago I had learned some programming in the ancient past (early 80s: BASIC mostly but some other stuff too) but hadn't done any in many years.

I decided to devote most of my time to learning JavaScript as it is useful for other things besides LiveCycle. I use some FormCalc too because it is easier for dealing with dates and a few other things.

Check out Code Year http://codeyear.com/, it's a big initiative to get people learning code, I just signed up for it as I still need help getting deeper into programming. New lessons sent to you every week, starts out with JavaScript.

W3Schools, http://www.w3schools.com/, has JavaScript as well as other tutorials (XML, etc.).

Also check out Javanotes http://math.hws.edu/javanotes/, it's a full learn-to-program in Java course that is completely free. I've been slowly reading through it.

[Former Community Member]

Thank you. It's so frustrating to try and write something to make my fields perform the way I want them to when I really have no clue as to what I'm doing. I will definitely check out the links you provided. I've been on the w3schools website but they assume that you already have an understanding of HTML and CSS which I do not.

Most of the classes I've found for javascript assume that the person is creating web pages. I don't know if taking a class in that will give me what I need for LiveCycle. The class on Ajax seemed to dwell on javascript (I know, it's in the name) and xml and teaches how to create the xml pages. I may go for that but like I said, I don't want to waste the money taking a class that isn't going to tell me how to use what I've learned inside of LiveCycle. But I guess anything learned is helpful somehow.

I read as many posts as I can but half the time I don't even understand the question much less the answers. I keep thinking to myself, "where did they learn that?" I really want to learn to speak in that language so I collect snippets of script and try to modify it to my forms but that usually ends up not working and then I post to this forum.

Thanks for taking the time to answer this for me. I'd really like to stop scripting in pig latin (scrambled syntax).

[Jono_Moore]

The structure of JavaScript is the same for the web as for LiveCycle. So learning how to do loops and write functions and stuff like that is the same. And learning how to think in programming terms. The difference is more in how the language references its environment (access objects and information).

That Javanotes course I linked to above is a really good introduction to programming. You'll learn a lot in the first few chapters. It's helped me to write better pseudocode when trying to figure something out (I'm only a few chapters in).

And Code Year is pretty neat, it's a brand new initative, the first lessons were this week. It starts at a beginner level and has lots of easy to follow short lessons.

I highly recommend this book, it is what really got me going in LiveCycle. It has lots of great scripting examples:

Creating Dynamic Forms with Adobe LiveCycle Designer

Message was edited by: Jono Moore - fixed link.

[Former Community Member]

I had such a good time on Codecademy after I linked to Codeyear. I am 5 lessons in already. Thank you so much for posting that. I feel like I have a new lease on life. I intend to follow all the lessons, buy the book you mentioned and maybe even take that Javascript course at the local college.

I was given LiveCycle and told to "figure it out". If I was just blocking out static pdfs like we've been doing here for years, then everything would be fine. But the more I learn about what it can do, the more I want to learn. And this forum has just been a lifesaver. But I don't want to always have to ask, "how do I do this?" "how do I do that?" I'd like to feel confident in my job and know that anything we need, I can do it.

So again, a thousand times thanks. I can learn it.