Adding Submit Button to Distributed Form

The problem with submitting to Acrobat.com instead of an email or server script is that Acrobat uses a behind the scenes method for contacting the site. There is no URL or email address you can place in a submit button.

Fortunatly though, you don't have to worry about it. Just place an HTTP submit button on your form. Don't put an URL onit. When you distribute the form using Acrobat.com, Acrobat will automatically setup this button to do the submit to Acrobat.com.

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]

Then most important JavaScript Development tool in Acrobat
[url=http://www.pdfscripting.com/public/34.cfm#JSIntro][b]The Console Window (Video tutorial)[/b][/url]
[url=http://www.acrobatusers.com/tutorials/2006/javascript_console][b]The Console Window(article)[/b][/url]

Thom:

Thanks for the info. I tried that, but have encountered new problems with not receiving submitted forms in the Tracker.

I have tried to email you privately, and don't know if you've received those or not. If not, please email me. If yes and you're not interested, please let me know, thanks.

Dave

OK, Thom, my tests now worked. I did them last night, and the responses only came through the next afternoon, so there must be a slow processing queue at Acrobat.com. But for now it looks like this works. I'll keep you in mind going forward, thanks for the help.

Dave

My experience with Acrobat.com has been that the reponses come in instantly. However, you have to tell the tracker to update.

I have had the exact slowness issue described. It was caused by providing a link on my website for customers to open the pdf. When the click on it from within IE, it opens the Reader plugin which WILL NOT work with Acrobat.com in a timely manner. You will notice that the behavior is different when filling out the form because it will not ask you for your name and email when done. I did find a solution which I posted on the Adobe.com form. I can cross post it here if that was the cause of you not getting your reply until the next day.

Jordan: I'd much appreciate your posting that, or telling me where I might be able to find it. Thanks.

Dave

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/576300?tstart=0
If you can't access the link, let me know.

Jordan, so the idea is to force the user to open the PDF in the stand alone Reader? Brilliant Code. Although if the Reader Plug-in really is having a problem Adobe aught to fix it.

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]

Then most important JavaScript Development tool in Acrobat
[url=http://www.pdfscripting.com/public/34.cfm#JSIntro][b]The Console Window (Video tutorial)[/b][/url]
[url=http://www.acrobatusers.com/tutorials/2006/javascript_console][b]The Console Window(article)[/b][/url]

It seems to be a known limitation of the plug-in rather than a 'bug'. By the way, there are many other languages that could be used to add header info to the pdf. php just seemed like the simplest for most situations. Whatever platform Adobe.com runs on, they could easily do the same thing. It's really a poorly written interface with glaring bugs. My favorite is how you have to click on a file and preview it and close it, before the context menu options work for such things as deleting.

Followed your instruction from above* in creating my own submit (to acrobat.com) button... Acrobat/Designer won't let me distribute the form (which is part of making it saveable and fillable it seems)... message says I have multiple target URLs or something that the form is being asked to submit to... I just have the one no-URL-Address "submit to HTTP button" on board
---------------------------------------------

* - Just place an HTTP submit button on your form. Don't put an URL on it. When you distribute the form using Acrobat.com, Acrobat will automatically setup this button to do the submit to Acrobat.com.