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Participant
September 8, 2016
Answered

Need help creating a searchable form that return all values on that row

  • September 8, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 559 views

Hi,

I have a pdf document that lists every single zip code in the USA and for each row, it has five columns of information for each zip.  Using the built-in Search, when the user keys a zip code, the cursor jumps to that page and highlights only the zip code, making it difficult to read the other five columns.

Not sure if this is possible, but it would be the ideal solution:

Enter Zip Code:      ___________ [Search]  <-- User keys a zip code, if found, return all the columns in the same row in the report below

Group:                    ___________

Group Description: ____________

Mkt Area                 ____________

City                         ____________

State                      ___

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer try67

This can be done (entirely in the PDF), but it requires a custom-made script.

The data from the spreadsheet will have to be converted to a plain-text file and attached to the PDF, and then the script could read it and populate the fields based on it.

If you're interested in hiring someone to develop this script for you, feel free to contact me privately at try6767 at gmail.com

2 replies

Participant
September 11, 2016

Thank you for looking into it.  I do have a spreadsheet, but was hoping to distribute a pdf file instead.  Both XLS and PDF look exactly the same.  The pdf is about 450 pages long with an index on Zip code.

Zip     Group       Group Description            Mkt Area               City                              State

00501    A           Group A - Description          Mkt-A               HOLTSVILLE                NY

01002    A           Group A - Description          Mkt-A              AMHERST                      MA

01014    A           Group A - Description          Mkt-A              CHICOPEE                    MA

01030    B           Group B - Description          Mkt-B              FEEDING HILLS            MA

01034    B           Group B - Description          Mkt-B             GRANVILLE                   MA

01035    C           Group C- Description          Mkt-C             HADLEY                         MA

01037    C           Group C - Description         Mkt-C             HARDWICK                    MA         

When I key 01030 in the Search box, the cursor jumps to the 4th row, highlighting only the zip code, making reading of the other columns a bit hard on the user.

Short of writing an Excel macro, I was hoping I could add a blank page as page 1 and then add the fields listed above...

Enter Zip Code:       01030 [Find]  <-- User keys 01030 and presses [Find], at which point we display:

Group:                    A

Group Description:  Group A Description

Mkt Area                 Mkt-A

City                         Feeding Hills

State                       MA

try67
Community Expert
try67Community ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
September 11, 2016

This can be done (entirely in the PDF), but it requires a custom-made script.

The data from the spreadsheet will have to be converted to a plain-text file and attached to the PDF, and then the script could read it and populate the fields based on it.

If you're interested in hiring someone to develop this script for you, feel free to contact me privately at try6767 at gmail.com

try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 8, 2016

"Return" how, exactly? Also, do you have this information available in a more accessible format, like a spreadsheet? If so, then it can probably be done using a custom-made script.