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Saving Fillable Form as non-fillable PDF

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Former Community Member
I need some help with LiveCycle.



I've created a form that will be sent to several people to fill out. Once they fill it out, they will need to save the form as a non-fillable file (normal PDF?) and send on to others to be read-only. The form will not come back to me.



I cannot figure out how to enable the form to be saved as a normal, non-changeable PDF.



Also, the only option seems to be that the form is returned to me. I don't want that, either.



Thank you!

Tricia
385 Replies

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Former Community Member
Firstly you will need to buy a Reader Extensions license (this allows Reader to save the form data - otherwise the client will require Acrobat).



Once this is done, you will then need a button (called "Lock Down" or something) that executes a script that makes all of the fields readOnly and updates a form variable (say, "locked") to indicate that the form is locked. You will also need to add a script to the initialize event that checks for the value of "locked", then executes the readOnly script (if the form needs to be locked down).



An example of a readOnly script can be found on page 434 of http://www.adobe.com/go/learn_lc_scriptingReference (see "Disabling all form fields" script)



John.

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Former Community Member
Another way to accomplish this which still requires Reader Extensions or Acrobat Pro is to use digital signatures. The people you are sending this to should have certificates set up.



In Designer, you can design the form to lock all it's fields automatically when the form is signed. This option is located under Object Inspector->Document Signature tab. Here you will find the checkbox to Lock all fields after signing. Hope that helps.



Don

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Former Community Member
Thank you both. I appreciate your time. I'll give it a go and see what happens.



Tricia

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Former Community Member

Another option you can try is that if the document has been Reader Extended and the user saves the document, force them to save it as a Static pdf. Then they should not be able to change the form.

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Former Community Member
I have created several fillable forms with LiveCycle that when emailed out need to be "locked" or non fillable. The only people filling out these forms are people in my company. We don't use the "submit/email" button in the forms. We just copy the pdf file and paste it in the email.



Is there a way for me to save these fillable forms as non fillable before sending them out in email?



Any help is appreciated! Thanks! :)

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Former Community Member
Is the whole form or just portions of it that you have to lock? I have a script that will show you how to lock the entire form. You can put the script on a button and lock the form when you click on the button. If you are interested let me know.

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Former Community Member

Mr. Guerrette -

I saw your post about a script you have that locks "fields" within a form.  Is it possible for you to send me your example?  Second, can your script be modified so that it only "locks" certain fields and not others?  I am trying to send out a pdf with some "prefilled" information that I don't want changed, but allow the end user to fill out the remaining fields.  But my prefilled information would change case-by-case. Also, will this script run with adobe reader?  Or just Acrobat? or Acrobat pro?

Your response would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

e-mail libycal@yahoo.com

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Former Community Member

The script expects you to pass a subform and it will lock everything inside of that subform. In most cases people will pass the root node of the form and then everything gets locked down. If it makes sense to put all the fields you want to lock into a subform then this sample will be useful; otherwise, you may end up having to lock then one by one.

It looks like the attachment issue have been fixed on the forum so I will attach it here.

Paul

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Level 1

Hello, I'm also interested in the script to locck all the fields. Please can you mail the form at marius@mjm.no?

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Former Community Member

Here it is again .....note that you must connect to the bbs to be able to download the file. It will not show up in your email notification.

Paul

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Level 1

Hi Paul,

1st - If You can - send me the script. (wzawrockiATyahooDOTcom)

2nd request - I make a forms where end user has possibility to fill and print only - I want to give possibility for end users to save forms as non-fillable pdf (dont want to force them to print on paper and then scan).

I try to make this in file that You attach: Lock All Fields_Purchase Order.pdf but after I fill and lock - the document still can't be saved with changes.

I try my own way to print filled form on PDF Printer (PDFCreator 0.8.0) but result is: 1 blank page and on the second:

ERROR: undefined

OFFENDING COMMAND: get

STACK:

/quit

-dictionary-

-mark

Can You confirm is this script will work due to me needs? Or You have any other ideas how to do it to be easy to end user?

Regards,

Witek Z

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Former Community Member

The sample is attached in this thread ...there is no need to send it via email. Note that you must be in the Forum software to see the attachments, they will not be included in the email notifications.

If you fill the form online and try to save/print in Reader the data the user entered wil be dropped. If you want to have the data saved as well then you must Reader Extend the form.

Paul

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Level 1

Paul,

I don't know how or why I keep getting these messages and when

everyone asks questions, they appear to be to me then they write "Paul". Can

you delete my email address from their questions and your responses, it

would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Bob

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Former Community Member

You have subscribed to this forum so any time someone makes a post you are being notified. You will need to connect to the main forum home and unsubscribe. I do not control the access to the forums.

Paul

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Level 1

I am not the individual you need to ask. When I created my form in Designer

8, it allowed me the option for 500 users to be able to save the completed

form and also print it. Paul can confirm this if I am correct. He was the

one in the forms that gave me the information, otherwise I am under the

impression you have to purchase a separate license for it.

Sorry, that's all I can tell you,

Bob

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Level 1

Hi Paul

I am interested in the script you have to lock the form. I did download the purchase order form , the only thing i do notice is that when i lock the form the e-mail button gets locked as well so i can't e-mail it, can this be changed so the form can still be e-mailed but still be non fillable ? E-mail address is windsurfer@execulink.com

Regards

Wil

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Former Community Member

You can just add the code to unlock the email button field after the fact. In my example you an add this line of code after the lock code on the button:

Button.access = "";

Paul