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firewallcj
Participant
July 10, 2017
Answered

Unique ID on interactive PDF, is it possible?

  • July 10, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 4507 views

Hi there,

Im stucked on indesign when i try to put on pdf template one unique ID or date and time (07JMAY172141) like as used on forms, example above:

cpUph_3URqqBZfXaYRTdAQ.png

It is possible to do this, when everytime i open a pdf template saved on my computer? Or i need to add some anothers methods to can do that?

Best Regards,

Will

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer JR Boulay

OK... I misunderstood at first...

So, maybe you should have posted your question in the Acrobat forum instead of Indesign ^^

Anyway, just like JR said, you must use javascript in Acrobat.

Here's a link where everything is well explained:

Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro: PDF Forms: Inserting an Automatic Date Field, UWEC

Hope that helps


This (old) tutorial is always OK, but it should logically be followed by this one: Unique ID on a PDF Form

2 replies

JR Boulay
Community Expert
JR BoulayCommunity Expert
Community Expert
July 11, 2017

Each PDF file already have an unique ID.

If you want to display this number, or another, automaticaly in a text field you must use Acrobat Pro and JavaScript.

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
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firewallcjAuthor
Participant
July 11, 2017

Can you be more specific about javascript code or method to do what i want?

vinny38
vinny38
Legend
July 11, 2017

What exactly is your workflow?

Do you use an Indesign template where you want to place an automatic "ID" based on date and time each time you export to PDF?

In this case, my previous answer should do the trick.

Or does your "ID" have to be generated in Acrobat?

I'm a bit confused here...

JonathanArias
JonathanArias
Legend
July 10, 2017

You can use adobe acrobat to created form spaces within the document, is that what you want a template with a form space in it so you can type what you need?

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firewallcjAuthor
Participant
July 10, 2017

Is like that is, but automatically. In this way:

u4GoYmOTRCCtHp0QTccxOw.png

1- When i open pdf template, on the space very next  to"Guia nº" automatically fill current date and time in format like i said above (DDMMMYYHHmm).

2- After that, when i save the pdf with another fields filled, saved pdf fill Guia nº with date and time.

3- This autofill It's supposed to be "auto" in everytime i open the pdf to save with data.

Sorry if i cant be more specific in my explain of what i really want.

vinny38
vinny38
Legend
July 11, 2017

Hi

You can easily do that using text variables.

Create a custom text variable based on Output Date.

For differences between date formats please read this Adobe explanation:

Creation Date inserts the date or time the document is first saved; Modification Date inserts the date or time the document was last saved to disk; Output Date inserts the date or time the document starts a print job, exports to PDF, or packages the document.

(or see Create and edit text variables in InDesign)

ddMMMMyyhhmm is the format you will need I guess.

Insert and apply capitalization. See example:

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