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Exporting form data

Forum Index > Forms: Acrobat > Exporting form data
2009-01-27 11:16:29
ifb_techie
Registered: Nov 16 2007
Posts: 12

Hi,

I'm using Acrobat Professional 8 on a Mac running OS X V 10.4.11. I received a file and I'm trying to export the data and having no luck. Here's how the form was set up :

Its a one page form that was emailed to multiple people. When the files were returned, they were somehow all grouped into this one file. So I'm looking at a file that basically has all the other forms attached to it. There is a list showing all the available forms that were returned and I'm trying to export all of them at the same time.

When I click on export data, I can choose from a CSV or XML file. If I choose CSV, nothing happens, a blank file is exported. And when I choose XML, Its illegible, I probably don't have the correct software to open that file.

What I'm trying to do is get a tab-delimited file exported if possible so that I can open the data up in Excel and manipulate it. One way would be to un-attach each individual form and export the data one by one, however there are a couple of hundred respondents and I really don't want to do all those operations.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 8.0, Macintosh
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2009-01-27 23:26:23
#1
thomp
Expert
Registered: Feb 15 2006
Posts: 4411
Were the returned files grouped as attachments to a file with a name ending in "_dataset_0001.pdf", or somthing like this? Does this grouped file look like the original form that was mailed out? And when you click on one of the returned files, does the data in the form fields change?

And finally, if you export to XML, and then open the file in a text editor, do you see any data or field names that look like they came from the original form?

It's possible that Acrobat is not recognizing the data correctly. This could happen if the data is compiled into the wrong file, or, since you're on a mac, that the files are from LiveCycle Designer.

Thom Parker
The source for PDF Scripting Info
[url=http://www.pdfScripting.com]pdfscripting.com[/url]

The Acrobat JavaScript Reference, Use it Early and Often
[url=http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/javascript.php]http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/javascript.php[/url]

Thom Parker
The source for PDF Scripting Info
www.pdfscripting.com
Very Important - How to Debug Your Script

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2009-01-28 06:04:45
#2
ifb_techie
Registered: Nov 16 2007
Posts: 12
thomp wrote:
Were the returned files grouped as attachments to a file with a name ending in "_dataset_0001.pdf", or somthing like this? Does this grouped file look like the original form that was mailed out? And when you click on one of the returned files, does the data in the form fields change?
Yes. The grouped file is the exact form that was mailed out and depending on who you choose, the data in the form changes. However, the filename does not end in _dataset_000t.pdf.

thomp wrote:
And finally, if you export to XML, and then open the file in a text editor, do you see any data or field names that look like they came from the original form?
Yes. The field names as well as the entered data is visible but in a form that is not usable. See example below :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>Norfolk District Business Development CorporationYesYesJoan Off
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