Saving data typed into a PDF

[Former Community Member]

Hi folks,

There's probably a million questions like this one but I can't concentrate enough right now to try to go through everything.

I made a list in Excel, exported it as a PDF.

Opened in Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro.

Went through the Start Form Wizard, all worked nicely, put all my check boxes and fields in where I wanted.

Save it - and then open it in Adobe Reader.

"You cannot save data typed into this form.  Please print your completed form if you would like a copy for your records."

After some careful googling, I discover to be able to make a form that is savable, I need Adobe LiveCycle.  So I scout around on my work computer and discover I do in fact have LiveCyle Designer ES 8.2.

Now what?  I do not know what I'm meant to tick in this program to make my PDF savable by other people.

I appreciate your time and patience!  Hopefully it's a super easy question and that I feel like an idiot for asking

Kind regards,

--Sasha

[Niall_O_Donovan]

Hi Sasha,

Using Acrobat, you can create forms that are called AcroForms. The forms created in LC Designer are called XFA (XML Forms Architecture) and are more data centric. While both will open in Acrobat, they are completely different animals.

The issue with users not being able to save the data with Reader is that the form is not Reader Enabled. You can Reader Enable a form using one of two methods:

1. Reader Enable the form using Acrobat Professional (V8 or below) or Acrobat Standard (V9 or above). Note there are licensing restrictions.
2. Reader Enable the form using the full server product Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions ES2.5. This involves additional licensing fees.

Have a look here: http://assure.ly/etkFNU, at the features that are available depending on whether the user has Acrobat or Reader; if the form is Reader Enabled; and how the form was Reader Enabled.

The issue of Reader Enabling would also apply to AcroForms.

I don't think that you need to dive into LC Designer just yet, as forms created in LC Designer face the same issues about Reader Enabling as forms developed in Acrobat.

If your usage complies with the EULA, then you could Reader Enable your form in Acrobat.

Hope that helps,

Niall

[Former Community Member]

Ahh!  Ok, thank you.

Using the help file, I figured it out from what you said Thank you.  I'll write the process here in case anyone else searches it.

Open file in Acrobat.

Advanced / Extend Features in Adobe Reader

So simple, but was about the only thing I *didn't* click on in my search for the elusive rights.

Yay!  Thank you