Using Adobe Acrobat 9.4.1 Std and Win 7 32bit
I have created a form and gone through the Distribute process, selecting the manual method of attaching the form to an email and collecting responses in my inbox. I've set the returning email address and the response tracking file. To test I have attached the form to an email going to another computer and email address in my home. After completing the form and hitting the submit button a window pops up showing the TO address and asking for the FROM email and name. Then a second window pops up asking to chose 'desktop client' or 'Internet client' and I chose Internet client. Then comes a 'save' window asking where to save the form. After selecting a folder and clicking save, the completed form saves and the box closes. Then NOTHING happens--the form is not sent, as I understand it is supposed to do. I don't want to have to ask the 150 recipients to send the form back via a separate email an attachment.
I have tried enabling usage rights in Adobe Reader but that doesn't change anything. Most of the people to whom the form will be sent will not have full version Adobe Acrobat, but will have Reader instead.
I do have the option of posting the form on our website and sending a link, but I'm guessing that I'll have the same issue.
The issue has nothing to do with where the form is posted or enabling rights for Reader. The issue is that Acrobat does not support the web mail protocol. If a system does not have a MAPI email client then Acrobat asks, which it did. If internet client is selected Acrobat saves the form locally and you have to manually attach it to the email using your email program. I believe all the instructions are in the popups.
This is an awkward process that confuses many users. Emailing forms has always been considered a bad idea for this very reason. And especially now since many people use web mail clients. There are some good alternatives to emailing a form. The easiest is to use Acrobat.com for form data collection. You could also purchase a 3rd party form data service, such as www.formrouter.com. Or you could write a server script to do the data handling, which is the traditional best solution.
BTW: if you put the form through the "Distribute" wizard, then it is already enabled with Reader Save Rights.
Thom Parker
The source for PDF Scripting Info
www.pdfscripting.com
Very Important - How to Debug Your Script