Importing Multiple XML files into a Single Form

First, it appears that you have a LiveCycle form? Is this correct?

You can control which fields import and export data. But the solution depends entirely on the kind of form you have. This would be much easier to do with an AcroForm. LiveCycle requires more work.

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]

Thomp, thanks for the quick response!

I am using LiveCycle. I'm not familiar with AcroForm, and am under some IT constraints so it may not be an option for me. As far as which types of fields I have inside of the "ShipSpacer" wrapper; I have 7 dropdowns, 3 date fields, 1 radio button (yes & no), and 7 text fields (two of which, the user of the form may add additional instances of as needed -- using a set of buttons for each field).Here is a look at the XML of one of the "ShipSpacer" blocks. I've edited some of the field names to show the difference in names inside the "AvailInstance" and "CMAVInstance" wrappers.


There are also 4 different colored "Background Boxes" that simply hide or show based on the status of AvailStatus or CMAVStatus. I am decently familiar with JavaScript, but not the particulars of how to apply it to PDF forms.

I willing to tackle the difficulties, but I'm not sure if I know what I'm up against. Does any of this info help you point me in the right direction?

I'm leaning toward using some combination of these methods:

• saveXML()
• loadXML()
• exportAsXFDF()
• importAnFDF()
• exportXFAData()
• importXFAData()
• append()
• addInstance(true)

but I can't quite figure out of to weave them together. Am I completely off track?

It's pretty easy to export partail data out of an XFA form by deleteing nodes out of the datamodel before export.

But I haven't figured out how to do a partial import. Modifying the field binding does not seem to do anything. The only think I can think of at this point is to save the data model and recreate the bits you want to perserver after importing.

There maybe a better methodology. Take a look at this blog:
http://forms.stefcameron.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]

Thanks again, for your help on my issue. I'm looking through the source you gave me for possible answers.

Although I am really looking to store and import partial piece of the form's data, I'm not really concerned with the rest of the form's data (at least in this particular case). So, if I can store and merge the forms data in its entirety easier than just the pieces I need, that will work for me (overwriting the other parts of the form won't effect the results I'm after).

I'd also consider using the "Merge Data Files Into Spreadsheet" feature, but I need to figure out how to get the data back in the form from the Excel file. I've even been researching how to parse multiple XML file using external methods (like VBS script), and export a single file for import into the PDF form.

If it were only myself I was concerned about using this method I would be fine with cutting and pasting from the individual export files into one XML file. Unfortunately, I need something that other users can consistently do on their own. Which means, I need something that can merge this data with a series of button clicks (as opposed to requiring anyone to analyze/edit code in anyway). I'm open to any solutions that are out there. What do other users do in this sort of situation?

The data handling features built-into Acrobat are pretty simple and straight forward. So anytime you get fancy with the data you have to write some custom code for handling it. Solutions vary from JS on the form to server side processing. But I think you have the right idea about using a VB program to munge up the data the way you want it to be.

However you also might want to look at the LiveCycle Data connection (the SourceSet model) and see if that will help. If the Excel file is exposed through ODBC the form can connect to it directly.

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]

The import and export fucntions will only work in Reader if the PDF file has Special Import/Export Rights Enabling. These rights can only be applied through the LiveCycle ES Rights server. So, for all practical purposes, importing and exporting XML with Reader is not an option.

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]

I've been kicking this can down the road for a bit now, and I think I'm ready to dig back in. The idea I had about going with a VBS script doesn't fly with the document owners, because I need it to be usable to people who may be uncomfortable working with an external script file (don't ask...that's still a sore subject for me, but that concept is off the table). I thought I had it all figured out, and was going to:

• get XML data and store as a variable;
• create dataobject and store all form XML data in dataobject;
• import external/additional data into main form;
• get new AvailInstance.ShipSpacer data (if any) and store as a variable;
• get new CMAVInstance.ShipSpacer data (if any) and store as a variable;
• append dataobject within the AvailInstance node;
• append dataobject within the CMAVInstance node;
• import XML from dataobject;
• delete dataobject;

Similar to some of the things you wrote about in this post: [url]http://www.acrobatusers.com/forums/aucbb/viewtopic.php?pid=40212[/url] and specifically used in this demo file: [url]http://www.windjack.com/PDFSamples/XMLDataObjDemo.pdf[/url]

I worked out how to store the XML the way I wanted, and found some of the basic JS commands I thought I would need to implement everything. It was only after I began to look deeper into this, that I realized what you were getting at in your first comment to this post:

It seams that LiveCycle does not have the same functionality when it comes to handling attachments. Most obvious, is that I can not create and attachment. However, I am able to add one to the document permanently, before distributing the form. So now my thought is to bind an attachment to the LiveCycle attachment and then follow some logic along these lines:

• get XML data and store as a variable;
• access the attached file and store all form XML data in dataobject;
• import external/additional data into main form;
• get new AvailInstance.ShipSpacer data (if any) and store as a variable;
• get new CMAVInstance.ShipSpacer data (if any) and store as a variable;
• append the XML in the attached file within the AvailInstance node;
• append the XML in the attached file within the CMAVInstance node;
• import XML in the attached file;
• delete XML in the attached file;

So I just wanted to check back in with you, and see if this is a sound way to attack my problem. If you have any pointers on how to achieve this using LiveCycle JavaScript, please share. Oh and if I'm headed for another brick wall please let me know.

I have learned more than I though I would about the inner workings of PDF forms. Although I have not (yet) accomplished my goal, this has been a rewarding experience.

This is a bit much for a forum post. But I can tell you that most of the operations you're interested in, importing data, attaching files, and modifying attachments, are privileged operations. For all practical purposes they can only be accomplished in the full Acrobat from a folder level trusted function.

You can make a PDF a privileged context by saving it as certified. Then for any user with the digital signature that was used to certify the document it will be privileged. But this is thin. It's very easy to break certification by modifying the document. To perform these operations in Acrobat you'll need to have a folder level script on the users system.

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]