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Matt Dwyer
Participating Frequently
March 7, 2016
Answered

vb.net form fill

  • March 7, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 4473 views

A noob question

If I create a pdf form, can I then use the SDK w/vb.net via Visual Studio to create an app to fill the form on a user's station (and flatten it once filled) provided that they have Acrobat Std or Pro installed?   I think the answer here is yes, as long as Std/Pro is installed?

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Correct answer Karl Heinz Kremer

That is correct, if you have Acrobat Standard or Pro installed, you can use the Acrobat IAC (InterApplication Communication) interface to "remote control" Acrobat from your own application. Take a look here for a simple example to read and set form fields using VBA - you should be able to easily convert that to a VB.Net application:

Reading PDF Form Fields with VBA - KHKonsulting LLC

Make sure to read the relevant documentation in the Acrobat SDK.

2 replies

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
March 10, 2016

ACrobat automation isn't a list of the things you can do in the UI, it is it's own specific capabilities. First get the XFA JavaScript manual because it us different. Not this describes what you can do. Further complications come from necessary security limitations.

Karl Heinz Kremer
Community Expert
Karl Heinz KremerCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
March 7, 2016

That is correct, if you have Acrobat Standard or Pro installed, you can use the Acrobat IAC (InterApplication Communication) interface to "remote control" Acrobat from your own application. Take a look here for a simple example to read and set form fields using VBA - you should be able to easily convert that to a VB.Net application:

Reading PDF Form Fields with VBA - KHKonsulting LLC

Make sure to read the relevant documentation in the Acrobat SDK.

    M
    Matt DwyerAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    March 9, 2016

    Well, not sure I find anything easy, but in any case, I am using form created with LiveCycle Designer, because I need expanding text fields. 

    I don't suppose you know of any examples of filling a form with data using XFA forms and VB.NET?  

    Karl Heinz Kremer
    Community Expert
    Karl Heinz KremerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 9, 2016

    That gets a lot more complicated - and it may not work at all, it depends on the actual form. See here for a discussion about how this can be accomplished (you can probably scroll all the way to the end to my last reply):

    Can't insert values into Editable text fields using VBA

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