LiveCycle and sharepoint

[Former Community Member]

I'm desiging an interactive Preformance assessment review form that will be put on a sharepoint site. Here's what it will ultimately have to do:

A user will open the form template and based on an ID field retrieve info from a database to populate fields in the page headers. It will be partially filled out. When submitted it has to write some data back to the database and save a new document back to a different sharepoint site.

Then the user's supervisor has to review the form, fill in one set of ratings and save it back to sharepoint. The user has to review and sign the form. The supervisor has to sign it and save it back to sharepoint. Then a reviewer has to sign it, save it and the rating has to go back to the database. Once completed the signed form will be used 6 months later to do a final rating and the whole process repeats. Once finalized it will be imaged and removed from sharepoint for the next cycle (yearly).

So far all that I have read in the forums indicate that the PDF doesn't play well with sharepoint. This form will be used by about 40,000 employees so adding a DSN to 40,000 PC's is going to be a problem. I know there is a way to glean the data out for the database but my main concern is the check out/in so it can be reviewed and filled out.

Comments, suggestions, ideas?

[Former Community Member]

The form on its own will be a problem. If you use LiveCycle Server there are modules that extract data from databases, merge that data onto the template and finally a separate module that will interact with Sharepoint to retrive content or add content. The key is using LiveCycle server to accomplish all of this and not using the Form.

I suggest speaking with an Adobe representative to get more information.

Paul

[Former Community Member]

Thanks Paul.

The form will be running through LiveCycle server.

This is a pilot project with another agency (state gov.) that has the server. I wasn't sure how this is all going to work.

[Former Community Member]

Just be aware that you will have to load something on the Sharepoint server and another module on the LiveCycle server. Then assuming that these

two servers are on the same network they can communicate. If you cannot get the "other" agency to load the code on their server then you will not be able to communicate.

Paul

[Former Community Member]

Very interesting. We're about to start a project at a fed agency, employing a LC server and Flash front end. Please get back to post anything interesting or noteworthy.

[Former Community Member]

Lates update:

I'm waiting for my form to be extended by the other guys. I found out I'm going to have to host the pilot demo at my location.

I'm programmatically trying to update my database but I also have to submit the data to an ASP file using HTTP post option. This gives me 2 submit buttons.

Is there a way to programmatically submit as an HTTP Post so I can code it all on the same button? Also is there a way to send to a sharepoint site the same way?

[Former Community Member]

You could hide the two submit buttons and have a 3rd regular button that woudl be programmed to click the other two submit buttons. The code to cause the other buttons to click is buttonName.execEvent("click").

I am no Sharepoint expert but I woudl be surprised if you couldn't update the Site from your ASP. You also always have the option of using LiveCycle server and its Sharepoint connector (as I mentioned earlier) to push the file into SharePoint for you. You woudl have to submit to LiveCycle to get this to work.

Paul

[Former Community Member]

Thanks Paul. Unfortunately, the budget is tight and they won't buy the Sharepoint connector. The one for Filenet would be desireable but it would cost 100k for both (2 connectors/2 servers). I was thinking along the same lines, having the ASP populate Sharepoint.

Once I get my form back I'll try the 2 button click.

One other question. Once a form has been extended, if you have to make design changes, primarily programming, does it have to be re-extended?

[Former Community Member]

Yes ...each time you load the form in Designer the Extensions are removed. Then you can extend again.

Paul

[Former Community Member]

Thanks, again Paul. I kinda' figured that.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Former Community Member]

Here's the code I'm using on the submit button:

xfa.sourceSet.DataConnection.open();

xfa.sourceSet.DataConnection.addNew();

xfa.sourceSet.DataConnection.update();

xfa.sourceSet.DataConnection.close();

app.alert("Record has been submitted to database");

Button4.execEvent("click");

Button 4 sends the data to the asp as HTTP Post.

[Former Community Member]

Looks fine to me .....just make sure that it is not marked as a submit button in the Field tab of the Object palette under the Control type. If you do this then you cannot script against it. Simply mark it as a regular button. The actual HTTP submit button woudl be a submit button though.

Paul

[Former Community Member]

They are. Regular one is visible, the second on is invisible. Would that make a difference?

[Former Community Member]

The actual submit buttons woudl be invisible (as you do not want your user to click them - you will click then when you are ready in

your form). The button the user does see is a regular button that exposes a click event where you place your code and this code clicks the invisible submit button on behalf of the user. Note that code on a submit button will not execute and will be ignored. This might be what you were indicating in your last message but I was not sure so I hope I clarified for you.

Paul

[Former Community Member]

Yes, that's what I did. The regular button has the code and is visible. The submit button has the ASP URL and is invisible.