Inspiring

Question

Would Anyone Be Interested in Learning How to Create Self-Contained 1-page PDF Mini-Database Applications using Adobe Acrobat??

12 replies
124 views
Translate

Having developed self-contained interactive PDF applications for well over 30 years, I'm curious whether other Adobe Acrobat Community members would be interested in learning how to create similar applications using document-level JavaScript, JSON objects, and hidden form fields.

These techniques make it possible to manage, organize, add, edit, retrieve, delete, and save multiple customer records and other information within a single-page interactive PDF application, without requiring an external database or internet connection.

The completed applications operate in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader on supported desktop systems.

The underlying Acrobat technologies have been available for many years, yet I rarely see discussions about using PDF forms as self-contained mini-database applications.

If there's interest, I'd be willing to share a screenshot of a working example with all company branding, logos, and website references removed, along with an explanation of the underlying techniques.

Would other Acrobat developers or forum members find this type of functionality useful or be interested in learning how it works?

JR Boulay

Community Expert

Hello,
I also create PDFs like this.
I might be interested in taking a look at some of your documents, since it’s always interesting and rewarding to learn about ways of working other than my own.
However, I won’t need you to explain how to do it. 😉

Thank you

Translate

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

boilermaker73Author

Inspiring

Here are several demo 1-page interactive PDF mini-database forms for your review, namely a password manager, a digital Rolodex, and a Medication Manager. You may use either Acrobat Pro or the Free Acrobat Reader to open, edit, use the forms. This aside, based on your response, I wasn’t aware that someone else like yourself was already creating 1-page interactive PDF mini-database forms using this exact framework given I have not been able to find any 1-page interactive PDF mini-database forms like this to date available online. Your thoughts.

Translate

easypdf_medication_manager_free_trial_unlicensed_copy.pdf

easypdf-password-manager-unlicensed-version-free-trial-version.pdf

easypdf-digital-rolodex-unlicensed-copy-free-trial-version.pdf

JR Boulay

Community Expert

Thank you, these documents are brilliant!

I’d used the same method a few years ago to save client records for Swiss bank brokers.

With an additional “database” containing translations of the labels into 5 languages as the document had to be multilingual.

And the final versions require a password AND a digital identity certificate to open them.

Unfortunately, as it was for Swiss banks, I can just share a screenshot of the mock-up.

Translate

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

M

Manan Joshi

Community Expert

Hi @boilermaker73 i see you made a similar post before as well and no one replied to it except Randy with whom you had some differences. So, I would suggest, why don’t you go ahead and share what you have, that is what we do. If you have something to share, do it and let people understand it better and start the conversation. You don’t need to ask anyone for permission to share your ideas.

Translate

-Manan

boilermaker73Author

Inspiring

Manan,

I first want to thank you for the quick reply and interest in my recent post. The first thing is, as you stated, I encountered problems with, Randy, the Adobe Acrobat forum Moderator, that I really don’t want to discuss. Neither do I want to chance getting banned from the forum so I have to be extremely careful regarding the information I provide. This aside, I believe the best place to start is by providing a screenshot of one or more of my interactive PDF forms to provide proof the PDF form I alluded to does in fact exist. While I’d prefer to provide a Free PDF demo for all to view, I fear a moderator like, Randy, won’t hesitate to ban me from the forum so I’d prefer to provide several screenshots to begin with. Please give me a few minutes and I’ll post them shortly if the Acrobat forum permits. Thanks again for your interest.

Translate

M

Manan Joshi

Community Expert

No one is going to ban you. I don’t want to hijack your post with sidetracking the discussion. We all share things we do or create and want other to know. If it is a paid thing then probably things may be dicey but for a free share no one is going to say anything. So by all means go ahead and share what you have to and let’s keep this discussion focussed on that only. Have a nice day

Translate

-Manan

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.