Creating a "pop up comment" upon opening that can be closed to view document.

[luisv20399914]

I'm almost done creating a unique PDF but in order to use it properly, I wanted to include some instructions to the viewer so they know how to access all of the inner workings of the document.

I created a comment text-box and filled it with all of the relative information. How can I ensure this comment is viewable upon opening the document and then the view can either hit an "okay" box or a "close" box in order to view the document proper?

[try67]

Using a comment is not really a good way of doing that. Instead, you can use a script that displays a modal alert window.

The code would be something like this:

app.alert("Enter your message to the user here.",3);

And you should place it under Tools - JavaScript - Document JavaScripts. Create a new item (call it "scripts", or something like that) and then paste the code into it. It will execute each time the file is opened.

[luisv20399914]

Thanks for the quick reply Try67!

I tried using the JavaScript window and I was a little dissuaded that the title stated "Warning" on the popup. I was hoping to change that to read "PDF instructions" but I wasn't sure where to do that exactly.

That and the fact that I'm not sure how to code line breaks/paragraphs means all of the text gets clumped together as a single brick instead of a nice and formatted message.

[try67]

You can't do that (EDIT: change the title of the window), I'm afraid.

Another option is to use a (read-only) text field and a button field to hide it (and itself). You then add a code to the location I described that sets both fields as visible... Then you will have much more control over how it looks like.

[luisv20399914]

That's what I figured I was going to have to do. I was just hoping to try and avoid it.

Maybe I can still tweak some things that will make it work. I have another PDF file where the warning window pops up that has a slightly tweaked title as as well as spaced paragraghs with instructions.

What will I need to do in order to get a script like this to pop up in my document?

[try67]

You can specify the part of the title after the warning like this:

app.alert("Text", 3, 0, "Title")

To be able to use some different fonts and add a check-box like in the screenshot above you'll need to create a Dialog object, which is much more complex than an alert.

[luisv20399914]

Really? Like, how much more complex?

[try67]

Quite a bit... It's all documented under the execDialog method of the app object, if you're interested in digging into it.

[luisv20399914]

Interesting...  how would I access the execDialog in Acrobat Pro?

[try67 · Accepted solution]

Like this, more or less:

var myDialog = {
     // dialog definitions go here
}
app.execDialog(myDialog);

[try67]

To add a line break you need to include this escaped character in the string "\n". For example:

"This is the first line of text.\nThis is the second line of text."