Adobe LiveCycle (Archived)

Pepperpotsman · 3/16/11

I am new at this but have been able to create a new form (invoice) in live

cycle 8. There is also a statement page after the invoice

that gets populated and it works great. The problem is I can not figure

re out how to let the user crate another invoice ( same form new info

) and let some of the info from the first populate to the secon

d and so an so on. I do not know the correct term for this.

Niall_O_Donovan · 3/19/11

Hi,

You can achieve this, but it will need some scripting and some additional settings.

Basically you would need to add a button to the invoice page that would allow the user to create a copy of the invoice page. There is an example here: https://acrobat.com/#d=nyxBeJlwdS4ZY2euTZxMKA.

You will need to select the page in the hierarchy and then in the Object > Binding palette tick that the object can be repeated.

If you have a look at the script in the add and delete buttons you can see how the new instances of the page are handled.

Lastly, you must save the form as a Dynamic XML Form in the save-as dialog.

Hope that helps,

Niall

Pepperpotsman · 3/19/11

Thanks so much but I still have a problem. The java script is giving me an

error. It returns this:

TypeError:form1.page1 is undefined

1:XFA:form1[0]:#subform

:body[0]:button5[0]:click

Plus, when I select page1 I do not see a binding palette

What do you think?

Niall_O_Donovan · 3/19/11

Hi,

In the example, I have named the page as "page1" in the hierarchy. If you have named the page differently, then you would need to change the script to suit your naming convention.

By the looks of the error, you have not named the page at all. It might look like this in the hierarchy "(untitled Subform) (page 1)". It is a bad idea to have unnamed pages and subforms. It makes it very difficult to script against these unnamed objects, as you will need to resolve the nodes.

If you have created the form by importing an existing Word document (or possibly PDF), then some dynamic features may not be available. If this is hte case, you may need to create the form from scratch.

Hope that helps,

Niall

Assure Dynamics

Pepperpotsman · 3/20/11

Ok again, thanks for the info. I have it working. Page 2 of my form is a

schedule where as data from the fields that are filed in by the user on the

invoice, page 1, should populate but now they will not. I keep getting an

error saying unknown field.

I really hate to ask but could you think of what I may be doing wrong or do

you know some one that would complete my form/ This is frustrating me to no

end.

Thanks

Mike_ws · 3/20/11

Yes

Niall_O_Donovan · 3/20/11

Hi,

I suspect that the references to the object are not correct or you have unnamed subforms/pages.

When referencing objects you are use a relative reference, which specifies the object with the minimum amount of information. - "clear as mud".

For example if two objects are on the same page (and in the same subform), then this would work:

this.rawValue = textfield1.rawValue;

However if textfield1 was on a different page and in a subform, the relative reference needs mor information:

this.rawValue = page1.subform1.textfield1.rawValue;

This example is not finished yet, so that it with a pinch of salt. If you open it in Acrobat/Reader and then hover over the script. The intention is that it will highlight each part of the reference. As yet there is no supporting text in it - it is a work in progress.

http://assure.ly/exTXaZ

There is a trick that you can use in LC Designer to automatically insert references.

Select the object that you want to insert script into.
Click into the script editor.
Scroll to the object that you want to reference (DON'T select it).
Reselect/click into the script editor.
Now press and hold the Control key.
As you hover the mouse over the object you want to reference, the pointer will turn into a 'V'.
Still holding the Control key, click the object.
LC Designer will insert as full a reference as is required.

Hope that helps,

Niall

Assure Dynamics

Pepperpotsman · 3/20/11

Great tip.....Worked very nice. However--sorry;

When I click the add page button you taught me, the 2nd invoice works just

like it should. My fields populate correctly but;

The second row of fields on my schedule do not populate. I am thinking

that’s because I am not sure what field to reference when the second invoice

completes. Dose the form automatically re-name the same field? Example:

On the first invoice there is a field called Customer. When the second

invoice is created, does it change that field to Customer1 or something?

Niall_O_Donovan · 3/21/11

Hi,

All objects have an instance number, which is zero-based. When scripting general objects you do not need to worry about the instance, as there is only one object, "Customer".

However with repeating objects, the instance number becomes more relevant. The instance number is in square brackets after the repeating object's name.

If we say that the invoice is on "page1", which is the repeating object and "Customer" is an objects on page1. You can reference each instance of the invoices by using "page1[0]", "page1[1]", "page1[2]", etc.

In your case the "Customer" object is not repeating. It is the "page1" object that is repeating. Therefore to access specific "Customer" objects on diferent pages, you would need:

"page1[0].Customer"

"page1[1].Customer"

"page1[2].Customer"

"page1[3].Customer"

etc.

Note that when scripting in JavaScript you would need to resolve this node:

this.rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("page1[0].Customer").rawValue;

If you want the schedule to gather information from each instance of the invoice page, then you could either set up a loop or have an if statement checking if each instance exists. The route would depend on if you are going to limit the number of invoices that can be added (say max. = 10) or if the user can add an unlimited number of instances (in which case the schedule is also unlimited).

In either case you are getting into a bit of more involved scripting. Are you happy with this?

Niall

Assure Dynamics

Pepperpotsman · 3/21/11

Once again you have come through with flying colors. Everything worked

great. The schedule gets populated as you stated. I have the limit of

invoices set to 20.

I am getting several scripting errors and I assume they are because all

those fields do not exist until the invoice is generated. Can you give me an

example of the "if" statement. I am using the following calculation using

formcalc/client side to reference the fields I need:

form1.Page1[1].Header.Company

form1.Page1[2].Header.Company and so on....

How would I add the if to these..

Thanks

Niall_O_Donovan · 3/21/11

Hi,

If you have script in row 6 of the schedule. which is looking for invoice 6, then the following should work in the calculate event.

if (_Page1.count >= 6)
{
     this.rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Page1[5].Header.Company").rawValue; 
}

Note that .count is not zero-based, so "6" will be the sixth invoice. The instance number is zero-based, so this is why we use "5".

Lastly, the underscore before the repeating object is shorthand for instanceManager.

Hope that helps,

Niall

Assure Dynamics

Pepperpotsman · 3/21/11

Hi Guess Who

if (form1.Page1.count >= 2){this.rawValue

=xfa.resolveNode("Page1[1].Header.Company").rawValue;}

This a formcalc script I placed on the second line of my schedule. It is

suppose to return me the company name on the second invoice. There is

nothing returned yet I do not get an error pertaining to this script.

Niall_O_Donovan · 3/21/11

Hi,

There are a couple of issues:

In the if statement, you probably do not need "form1". Also you have not called the instanceManager. You can do this by placing an underscore "_" before the name of the repeating object( eg _Page1). Script should read:

          if (_Page1.count >= 2)
          ...

Also the script is JavaScript, so you will need to change that in the script editor, from the languages dropdown on the right-hand side.
Make sure that you have named the design pages differently from the Master Pages.

Hopefully it will work then.

Niall

Assure Dynamics

Pepperpotsman · 3/22/11

Got back to my form and with all your help it all works great. I have one

last issue I am trying to resolve;

I have the button that creates a new invoice.

This is the script: It is a click event using java

form1.Page1.instanceManager.addInstance(true);

I want to add to this script so when the button is clicked, the user is

taken to that page.

Can you help?

Niall_O_Donovan · 3/22/11

Hi,

You can use the setFocus method, but would first need to determine the number of pages.

form1.Page1.instanceManager.addInstance(true);
var i = form1.Page1.instanceManager.count; 
var vTarget = xfa.resolveNode("form1.Page1[" + i + "].Header.Company");
xfa.host.setFocus(vTarget);

This should work. If not have a look at the Help for setFocus.

Niall

Pepperpotsman · 3/23/11

I had a tuff time trying to figure out your selection so I added this script

to my original script to call for the InstanceManager and it works

perfectly.

// Go to the next page. xfa.host.pageDown( );

I want to thank you for taking the time to help me in completing this task.

I have been out of work here in Texas for 8 months and just trying to help

out a friend who has thrown me a bone. I have never expected someone to do

my work for me, just give me a little of what they have acquired over the

years and maybe I can give them a little of what I have acquired. We are

indeed strangers that have never met yet we have been just as courteous to

each other as if we had known each other for a long time. It's so refreshing

to be able to do that. Thanks for your patience and your obvious expertise.

If I can ever help, just let me know.

Steve

Niall_O_Donovan · 3/23/11

You are very welcome Steve!

I am glad you have it working.

I would strongly recommend JP Terry's book on LC Designer which is excellent - "Creating Dynamic Forms with Adobe LiveCycle Designer". This starts at the beginning and clearly sets out key learning points. By the end there are some good examples, which you can copy across into your forms.

We have some solutions and blog posts on our website http://www.assuredynamics.com.

There is also a range of online resources. You may find these resources helpful:

http://www.adobe.com/go/learn_lc_scriptingBasics

http://www.adobe.com/go/learn_lc_scriptingReference

http://www.adobe.com/go/learn_lc_formCalc

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/livecycle/articles/Adobe_XML_Form_Object_M odel_Refer ence.pdf

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/lc_migrating_acrobat_xmlform. pdf

And a very handy resource (and while it is for version 6 it is still very good because of the way it is laid out):http://partners.adobe.com/public/developer/en/tips/CalcScripts.pdf

The Help file in LC Designer can also help you with syntax and LC Designer itself comes with some great templates and examples.

Lastly, check out the Developer's Network on http://www.adobe.com/devnet/livecycle/

Also a book that doesn't deal with scripting at all but is very good on form layout is "Forms that Work" by Caroline Jarrett and Gerry Gaffney.

The Adobe "PDF Forms Bible" is okay, but mainly focuses on AcroForms.

Windjack Solutions have a subscription based service for solutions and scripts at http://www.pdfscripting.com. It has a lot of AcroForm script that can be amended to suit LC Designer and a growing library of LC Designer solutions.

I hope that things pick up!

Good luck,

Niall

Pepperpotsman · 4/1/11

Hi Niall, remember me?

I had to make a change on the form you helped me create but I think, with

your help, I can get through this. Here it is

I have my form setup where the user can click a button and a new invoice is

started. The data from the invoices they create are populated to my schedule

form which is page 2 of the form. The schedule can accommodate data from 20

invoices. The user can create up to 80 invoices. I need to make the schedule

flow over to a new schedule page when all 20 lines of data are populated. I

am pretty sure it will do this automatically but I am not sure how to make

it flow. The new schedule page would just be a duplicate of the first in all

ways except the lines of data.

Can you help?

I would be glad to send you the form if I have been confusing.

Pepperpotsman · 4/17/11

I HAVE A JAVA CODE IN A CLICK EVENT THAT EMAILS MY FORM. EVRYTHING WORKS GREAT EXCEPT I WANT THE SUBJECCT LINE TO READ LIKE THIS;

Client Id is (THE CONTENTS FROM A FIELD NAMED ClientId)

I AM NOT SURE HOW TO PLACE THIS IN MY CODE. THIS IS THE CODE I AM USING

var oDoc = event.target;

oDoc.mailDoc({

bUI: true,

cTo: "EMAILADDRESS@ANYWHERE.com",

cMsg: "Invoices & Schedule",

cSubject:("form1.Page1.Header.ClientId"),

})

app.execMenuItem("Close");

iT DOES NOT WORK

Niall_O_Donovan · 4/17/11

Hi,

Have a look at the script here: Re: Don't send any XML/PDF/data with an email PLUS send encrpyted data

I tend to build the subject (and other elements) outside of the mail script, as variables.

In the script example you construction of the vSubject variable would look something like this:

var vSubject = "Client ID is " + form1.Page1.Header.ClientId.rawValue;

Hope that helps,

Niall

Pepperpotsman · 4/17/11

Thanks, I am not aware of this. If I build this script outside the mail

script, where does it go and how do I trigger it

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