Hello,
Re; S. Cameron's data contols: http://forms.stefcameron.com/2006/09/18/connecting-a-form-to-a-database/
(Working with Acrobat Pro 8 and LC Designer 8)
I have successfully incorporated your Stefan Cameron’s data controls to my livecyle form. My form is now connected to a MS Access db that pre-fills a number of fields. So far so good… I can step through each record from the database.
My form is to be used as a distributed survey. This is where the wheels seem to come off the tracks.
I have tried a number of scenarios to create individual pre-filled forms for distribution to departments within my organization. I propose to send each department a single form for each record instance from my database. I would ‘package’ these forms using acrobat pdf packaging, and in theory each form would be returned individually – updating its ‘dataset.pdf.’
I have discovered the ‘distribute’ function of acrobat is causing the current record information to be overwritten, and inserts the first record from the database. I have been successful using ‘Save as’ to create individual forms with unique records – if I open using Acrobat Reader. However, once this same form is opened by Acrobat Professional, it causes the form to reveal the first database record. Additionally, using ‘Save as’ does not offer the great functionality of data collection once the completed form is returned.
Can anyone tell me if there is a way to ‘cut’ the data connection as I move into form distribution? Or offer a work around.
Thank you.
Bill
"... I’m a little unsure as to what you’re doing exactly however to answer your question about programmatically “cutting” the data connection, I think you mean you simply don’t want the data connection to be “executed” once you move the form into distribution mode.
To do this, you would need to configure your form to execute the data connection only if it hasn’t been executed already (e.g. only if some field on the form that gets filled by data from the connection isn’t filled). To do this, you’ll need to control if and when the data connection is executed and my tutorial on selecting a specific database record will help. It shows you how to manually “open” (execute) an ODBC data connection after a user makes a selection from a drop down list. For example, you could put script to open the data connection when the form is initialized (using the Initialize event) only if that special field isn’t filled."
Lori Kassuba is an AUC Expert and Community Manager for AcrobatUsers.com.