Create PDF Form with connection to database

[Val3]

Hello,

I want to create a form (which is available in the intranet) - so far so good.

The form shall be linked to a database (located in the intranet) where a certain amount of Numbers have been entered (e.g. 2019_01; 2019_02; 2019_03 and so on)

One number shall be automatically put into a field (e.g. 2019_01) in the form from the database and a signature field shall be put next to the field with the date.

As soon as the signature field is filled, the number shall be blocked in the database and if the .pdf is opened the next number from the database (ascending) shall be filled in automatically in that field - in that case it means, as soon as 2019_01 has been "verified" by the signature field, another user, that wants to fill that form has 2019_02 in his unique field.

Can someone help me please, if there is a possibility to create this type of form ?

Kind regards

[Test Screen Name · Accepted solution]

PDF files can use web technology to get data from a web script in limited and controlled ways. Does not work for the 80% or more oeople not on Mac or Windows, using a browser, etc. Not a path I’d recommend: consider HTML forms, many technologies exist to enable database driven forms. 

[Val3]

Hello Test_Screen_Name,

thank you for your reply - to clarify, I have to state, that it should not be web-based and the database is a database in the Intranet and not on a website.

Does this change things ?

[Test Screen Name]

No, that doesn’t change things - web technologies are what make a (real) intranet work, with web scripts in intranet servers. If it’s for in house use you MIGHT be able to mandate software and systems, but be wary of locking out all phones and tablets

[Thom Parker]

As TSN states, Acrobat cannot a connect regular PDF directly to a DB. However, it can connect a LiveCycle (now AEM) PDF to a DB on Windows. You can look up AEM on the Adobe site. But if you want to connect a regular PDF to a DB, the best methodology is to use a server script (such as PHP, C#, etc.) to provide the link between Acrobat and the DB. This takes some effort and expertise, but is not a difficult as you might think. On the PDF side, all you need to do is add Form Submit operation. Form submits both submit data, and load data.