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Inserting current time and date in a form

Feb 16, 2012 7:40 AM

Feel silly here, but I can't seem to find a way to insert form fields that will display currnet time and date, I see where it can be done for a digital signature, but that's not what I need. This is for a client sign in sheet. I want to know what date and time the form is printed, without having to manually enter that data. Thanks.

2406 Views 18 Replies Latest reply: stburden77, Jun 9, 2012 4:28 PM

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9,232 posts
Aug 11, 2002

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1. George Johnson,

Feb 16, 2012 8:01 AM in reply to TRG622

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If you want to set a field to show the date/time whenthe document is opened, you can use the following code in a document-level script:

getField("DATETIME").value = util.printd("mm/dd/yyyy HH:MM:ss"; new Date());

where "DATETIME" is the name of the field.

You can use the same code in the "Document Will Print" event to update it at the time of printing.

For more information on the date format string options, see: http://livedocs.adobe.com/acrobat_sdk/9.1/Acrobat9_1_HTMLHelp/JS_API_A croJS.88.1251.html

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2. TRG622,

Feb 16, 2012 8:08 AM in reply to George Johnson

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OK, thanks. And if I wanted to break out the date and time into two seperate fields would that be

getField("Date") value = util.printd("mm/dd/yyyy", new Date())

getField("Time") value = util.printd("HH:MM)"; new Time())

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3. Gilad D (try67),

Feb 16, 2012 8:09 AM in reply to TRG622

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There's no Time object. Use new Date() in both instances.

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4. George Johnson,

Feb 16, 2012 8:10 AM in reply to TRG622

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That's right, but the last one needs to be changed to:

getField("Time").value = util.printd("HH:MM)"; new Date())

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5. Gilad D (try67),

Feb 16, 2012 8:13 AM in reply to TRG622

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Also, there must be a dot between the getField()-method and the value-property.
AND, you need to use a comma inside printd, not a semi-colon.

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6. George Johnson,

Feb 16, 2012 8:12 AM in reply to TRG622

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Also, there was an additional typo, so the first needs to change to:

getField("Date").value = util.printd("mm/dd/yyyy", new Date())

Note the period just before the "value".

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7. TRG622,

Feb 16, 2012 8:32 AM in reply to George Johnson

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so this code would be inserted in the Actions tab in the Properties window of the form field? Thanks again. I'm brand new to Acrobat and this is the very first form I'm creating with it.

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8. George Johnson,

Feb 16, 2012 8:50 AM in reply to TRG622

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No, it should be placed either in a document-level JavaScript (Advanced > Document Processing > Document JavaScript (Acrobat 9), or Tools > JavaScript > Document JavaScript) outside of a funtion definition, or in the initial page's Page Open event.

As mentioned, you can also place it in the "Document WIll Print" event if you want it to update at the time of printing. In Acrobat 9 you'd select "Advanced > Document Processing > Set Document Actions" and in Acrobat 10 you'd select "Tools > JavaScript > Set Document Actions".

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9. TRG622,

Feb 27, 2012 1:54 PM in reply to George Johnson

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ok, tried that and here's the error I get:

TypeError: getField ("Date") is null
1: Doc:Will Print

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10. George Johnson,

Feb 27, 2012 1:56 PM in reply to TRG622

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That means you do not have a field named "Date". What is the name of the field you're working with? Case matters, so "Date" is not the same as "date", or anything else.

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11. TRG622,

Feb 27, 2012 2:37 PM in reply to George Johnson

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Actualy, looking around the web I found another Adobe forum where you answered another person's question about using a check box to populate a text field with the date, which is actually what I really need, as I want to be able to print the form with or without the date and time appearing. Here's the script you posted:

// Mouse up script for check box
{function () {

     // Get a reference to the text field
     var f = getField ("text");

     // Set the value of the text field
     if (event.target.value !== "off") {
          f.value = util.printd("mm/dd/yyy", newDate ());
          } else {
                f.value = " ";
          }
} ) ();

I copied and pasted the code straight into the mouse up event for the check box, and then changed the text box name to the actuall name of the date text field, and the error I get is "too much recursion".

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12. George Johnson,

Feb 27, 2012 2:42 PM in reply to TRG622

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That code does't look like it was correctly copied, or else I made a few mistakes. It should be:

// Mouse up script for check box
(function () {

    // Get a reference to the text field
    var f = getField("text");

    // Set the value of the text field
    if (event.target.value !== "Off") {
        f.value = util.printd("mm/dd/yyy", newDate());
    } else {
        f.value = "";
    }
})();

There would have to be a text field named "text" for this to work.

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13. TRG622,

Feb 27, 2012 2:55 PM in reply to George Johnson

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right, the field is actually called "Date". copied and pasted straight off what you just posted and the error i get now is 'newDate is not defined'. BTW thanks so much for taking the time to help with this.

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14. George Johnson,

Feb 27, 2012 2:57 PM in reply to TRG622

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There is supposed to be a space between "new" and "Date". If that doesn't fix it, I'll be happy to post a working sample.

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15. TRG622,

Feb 28, 2012 7:53 AM in reply to George Johnson

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Works like a champ for both the date and time fields. Thanks for all your help!

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16. stburden77,

Jun 9, 2012 10:07 AM in reply to George Johnson

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Hello: I'm new to Adobe Foms and I'm using Adobe Pro X.

I'd like to have the current date inserted when the form opens. I inserted the code below in the Document Javascript section of Adobe. When I open the form nothing happens. I'd appreciate any assistance you can give.

function Current_Date()
{getField(Prepared_Date).value=util.printd("mm/dd/yy",new date())
}

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17. George Johnson,

Jun 9, 2012 1:05 PM in reply to stburden77

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It should not be a function, so the code can be just:

getField("Prepared_Date").value = util.printd("mm/dd/yy", new Date());

Note the other corrections as well.

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18. stburden77,

Jun 9, 2012 4:28 PM in reply to George Johnson

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Thanks George, that did it.

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Inserting current time and date in a form

Feb 16, 2012 7:40 AM

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