These forums are now Read Only. If you have an Acrobat question, ask questions and get help from one of our experts.

Using Flash to Display/Add Images to AcroForm in Acrobat Reader?

Forum Index > Rich Media/Flash > Using Flash to Display/Add Images to AcroForm in Acrobat Reader?
2010-02-01 12:34:43
1stSniff
Registered: Jun 23 2009
Posts: 10

One of the most significant challenges that I have run into again and again with Acrobat Forms (Not LiveCycle Designer) is the inability for an end-user with Acrobat Reader to add or modify images (icons) via Javascript. This also seems to be a recurring post on the Acrobat Javascript forum, so I suspect others have run into this challenge as well.

I have not yet had much experience with using RichMedia in Acrobat documents, but am starting to learn more about it now.

My question .... Is it possible to embed a Flash/Shockwave file that will essentially provide a frame where a user with Adobe Reader can either select an image to include in the pdf document (to be printed) or have the images automatically populate from a gallery where user simply saves desired images with a specified name in a specified directory?

Hopefully this question makes sense ... if not, let me know and I will rephrase ...

Thanks in advance!
-Scott

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 9.2, Windows
Top
2010-02-03 13:12:29
#1
lkassuba
ExpertTeam
Registered: Jun 28 2007
Posts: 3636
Are you aware that you can do this with a form developed in LiveCycle designer? For more information check out Ted Padova's blog titled [url=http://www.acrobatusers.com/blogs/tedpadova/enabling-adobe-reader-users-options-importing-images-forms]Enabling Adobe Reader Users Options for Importing Images on Forms[/url].

Lori Kassuba is an AUC Expert and Community Manager for AcrobatUsers.com.

Top
2010-02-03 13:30:00
#2
1stSniff
Registered: Jun 23 2009
Posts: 10
I am aware that I can do this in LiveCycle Designer, but there are a number of other considerations that makes Acrobat with Javascript the better overall choice for what I'm trying to accomplish. Everyone on these forums have been great resources, but I can't begin to express how incredibly valuable all of the materials prepared by Ted Padova and Thom Parker have been in my learning process!

I will figure this out, it just may take a while to determine the best solution.

Thanks for your input!
-Scott
Top
2010-02-04 08:07:07
#3
lkassuba
ExpertTeam
Registered: Jun 28 2007
Posts: 3636
1stSniff wrote:
I am aware that I can do this in LiveCycle Designer, but there are a number of other considerations that makes Acrobat with Javascript the better overall choice for what I'm trying to accomplish. Everyone on these forums have been great resources, but I can't begin to express how incredibly valuable all of the materials prepared by Ted Padova and Thom Parker have been in my learning process!I will figure this out, it just may take a while to determine the best solution.

Thanks for your input!
-Scott
Thanks for the feedback -- I'll let Ted and Thom know.

Lori Kassuba is an AUC Expert and Community Manager for AcrobatUsers.com.

Top
2010-02-04 08:57:27
#4
UVSAR
Expert
Registered: Oct 29 2008
Posts: 1357
Acrobat/Reader 9 blocks any access from a SWF to local files, either to read them or create them, so your concept will never work. It's possible to pass simple data (text etc) out from the SWF and use javaScript to paste it into a form field, but you can't do that with binary fields (images etc.). It's intentional, as we can't risk a malicious document writing something to your local drives, or sniffing data from a local file and posting it to the Web.

To quote the [url=http://learn.adobe.com/wiki/download/attachments/52658564/acrobat_reader9_flash_security.pdf]security model document[/url]:

[b]Local File-System Access[/b]
This will be blocked for all SWFs in Acrobat.

[b]File Upload and Download[/b]
Using the FileReference to upload a file from the user’s file system to the server is
blocked. Using the same class to download a file from the server to the user’s file
system is blocked for SWFs in Acrobat.
Top
2010-02-07 18:06:04
#5
1stSniff
Registered: Jun 23 2009
Posts: 10
Well, I guess the final answer is about what I had expected ... I'm a little disappointed, but it makes sense in large scheme of things ... thanks all!

-Scott
Top