adobe livecycle designer - getting started

Getting started with Adobe LiveCycle Designer

How to create interactive forms and track response data

Presented by: Jeremy HarderMichigan Association of School AdministratorsTechnology & Design Coordinator jjharder@gomasa.org

Adobe LiveCycle Designer Homepage

http://www.adobe.com/products/livecycle/designer/

60 Day Trial Download

What is Adobe LiveCycle ES?An overview of the LiveCycle Enterprise Suite

What Does It Do?

Livecycle Enterprise Suite (ES) is a platform for developing custom workflows

Databases and forms are used to complete tasks

Example of how ES might be used:http://www.adobe.com/products/livecycle/

What Doesn’t It Do (Easily)?

Gathering form data via the Web is not intuitive

Development/Web-coding knowledge required for intermediate to advanced functionality

The Paperless OfficeLiveCycle can replace paper forms without much hassle

What about LiveCycle Designer?

Designer is a spin-off that is packaged with Adobe Acrobat Professional

Designer can be used to build static and dynamic PDF forms

Adobe LiveCycle ES Hierarchy Adobe LiveCycle Enterprise Suite

ES ModulesInstalled on Web accessible server to process data

▪ Forms▪ Digital Signatures▪ Mosaic▪ Etc

LiveCycle DesignerInstalled on your workstation. Modules not required to distribute forms.

▪ PDF creation tools▪ PDF distribution

Alternatives to Designer

Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro now includes form field tools, and distribution functions

The difference is that Designer allows for scripting

Alternatives to Designer

What is Adobe LiveCycle Forms?

Screen capture from http://www.adobe.com/products/livecycle/forms/

Forms is a module for LiveCycle ES Forms handles user-submitted data

and routes it to… Databases Processes Users

What is Adobe LiveCycle Forms?

Screen capture from http://www.adobe.com/products/livecycle/forms/

Building Forms in LiveCycle Designer

Types of Forms

Static User input fields Can be printed

Interactive Fields can be validated (required, pattern

match) Subforms can be hidden/revealed based

on inputExample

The LiveCycle Designer Interface

Using Different Views

Design View XML Source Master Page View PDF Preview

Working with Objects

Examples of form objects: Text field Image Field Email Field Numeric Field Buttons

Using Fragments

Frequently used combinations can be saved as form fragments and easily reused Shift-click to select all objects to include.

Right click -> Fragments -> Create New

Buidling Forms from Templates

LiveCycle Designer comes packaged with some great pre-built forms:

Building Forms from Word Docs

Word and Excel documents can be imported and converted to PDF forms in the wizard.

Building Forms from Scratch

Start with a blank page

Working with Formulas

FormCalc equations are similar to spreadsheet formulas

Field value calculations ensure correct data submissions and save time for your users

Field validation

Make required (and provide error messages)

Pattern match

Distributing Forms in LiveCycle Designer

Distribution Options

Save as a PDF and store/send as needed

Distribute via email using LiveCycle Designer

Distribute via acrobat.com using LiveCycle Designer Stores the form to your account Accessible to others via URL Drawback: No data submission handling

built-in

Distribution Options

Submitting Forms

Three Options

Print and fax Email

Via form button (may not work for some users)

User initiated HTTP submit

Requires handling script on Web server

Email Submit

The Problem with Email Submit

Email Submit Workaround Open the PDF in Acrobat Pro Go to Advanced -> Extend Features in

Adobe Reader Distributed PDF will now allow users

to Save As… PDF Still not perfect though…

Email Submit button will continue to save as XML instead of PDF

Use with caution. Include specific how-to instructions in form document

Receiving Data

Example of Acrobat generated results file

Getting Started with Adobe LiveCycle DesignerHow to create interactive forms and track response data

Presented by: Jeremy HarderMichigan Association of School AdministratorsTechnology & Design Coordinator

jharder@gomasa.org