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Databases and LiveCycle Designer 8

Roarks
Registered: Dec 6 2007
Posts: 7

What if I want to link individual fields in a LiveCycle Designer form (converted from a Microsoft Word document) say, to an Access 2007 Database. (if not Access than is there a type of database that I can do this with?) Meaning, there will be a column in the database that is linked to and have the same name as a specific field in a form and each row in the database will be for a specific and unique project. So, when someone fills out the form and submits it for a specific project, the information in each field of the form can be (in some method of an automated/semiautomated process) automatically entered into the appropriate column and row of the database. I will have multiple forms in each form there will be some repition of information. For example "company Name". So, when I fill out the first form the information goes into the databased and then the company name entered will automatically propagate into the fields on the other forms that share a field named "company Name" ? Can this be done and if so how . If you can lead me to the specific process for each of these steps to create these links I can teach myself the process. If I need additional software to achieve my goals please advise. Thanks for taking the time to read my question.

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 8.0999999999999996447286321199499070644378662109375, Windows
thomp
Expert
Registered: Feb 15 2006
Posts: 4411
First, form fields on a LiveCycle form can be connected to any database for which there is a OCX driver. You start the process of associating a DB table with fields in the "DataView" tab. You'll find information on this in the LiveCycle help and sample documents. You'll also find articles and other information on Adobe's DevNet site.

[url=http://www.adobe.com/devnet/]http://www.adobe.com/devnet/[/url]

Database connections are only for local databases (such as a DB on a network drive), not remote DB, although there are ways to make this work if you know enough about it.

You can certainly setup a form to prepopulate from a DB, or even to poll a DB so that it can keep synchronized with another document. All of these features require scripting and a good knowledge of LiveCycle Forms. Start by learning more about the LiveCycle scripting functions and properties that deal with DB connections.

DB connectivity requires special enalbing for Reader usage. If you need it to work on Reader or to work with a remote DB you're better off writing a sever script to handle the data.

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

AlScott
Registered: Nov 2 2007
Posts: 123
Actually - similar question here.
I've got all the fields setup in LC and Access - but where I'm at a loss is how you configure a 'button' to submit the data, or indeed to retrieve it if we take the HelpDesk sample document.............
thanks
Al