Looking for Education/Training Recommendations

The first thing you have to understand about JavaScript is that it is a programming language. All programming languages share a set of core pricipals. Once you understand these pricipals all languages are about the same and its just a matter of understanding the specifics of how a particular language is used. In fact, programmers spend just about all there time worrying over the details of a specific language and programming environment. All the documentation you'll find on a programming language is going to be focused on the specifics and assume you already know the core concepts, and this is true for Acrobat JavaScript as well. For example the Acrobat JS reference and the Guide are setup this way. You can get some information from the Acrobat books that are out there like the "PDF Forms Bible", and "Extending Forms with Acrobat JavaScript" (this one is really old, but most of it is still valid)

Fortunately the core concepts are somewhat intuitive and be picked up by playing around with a language. But if you really want to get into this you should consider taking an entry level programming class.

So, besides the core concepts, Acrobat JavaScript is really two different things. JavaScript is the Core language and Acrobat is the programming envrionment that it operates in. Anything you see on HTML JavaScript will most likely be invalid for Acrobat JavaScript (except for those bits that are only about Core JS). So you need two references. One for Core JavaScript (my favorite is the O'Reilly book) and one for the Acrobat JavaScript API (called the Document Object Model).

You'll find some more useful entry level info in this article:
http://www.acrobatusers.com/blogs/thomp/copying-and-pasting-code

and by going over the material at the two links links below on the console window. Believe me, you can spend hours testing out code in the Console window to get a better feel for how it all works.

If you can get to Minneapolis on September 22-24 there is a PDF Conference where you can get all kinds of info (www.pdfcentralconference.com). It's particularly inexpensive this year so it's well worth going. I'll be doing a class and some sessions.

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]

Thanks for the help Thom, not too sure about the conference this year, as I said, I am not looking to do this for a living, rather I am attempting to help out some of the youth programs in my area, (not the best executive compensation in the world, but I do like helping the kids in the area) with getting some of there forms and documents standardized and somewhat automated.

I do have a memebership on your site and have purchased the O'Reilly book, as you stated it seems that all books assume a certain level of program knowledge. However you site has been the most helpful of anything so far. Love the short videos, they work great for someone who does not have the time to spend 3-4 hours sitting at once. Thanks again...Mark

Thanks, let us know if there is anything you'd like to see. Since you are a novice you're opinion is particularly important.

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]