Fillable forms - mix of required e-signatures and digital signature

[christopher_6355]

Hi,

Are e-signature fields and digital signature fields not recommended on the same fillable form in Acrobat?

I've created a fillable form that includes a range of form fields, such as dropdowns, radio buttons, a button, text fields, signature fields, and a final digital signature field at the end of the form. The idea is that the form requires a number of informal e-signatures at the end of each section, and then a final and more formal digital signature at the end of the form.

I found some script in a forum post that checks for required fields and throws a popup listing missing required fields when clicking a button I added and labeled "Verify Fields." But it won't recognize a signature field that has an e-signature added unless first clicking in the field and adding a space (or any keystroke). I'm guessing this is because the e-sign is an image of a signature lain over the field.

I thought I might have better luck converting the form with e-signing options (Prepare form for e-signing). But then I notice all of the field properties windows become boiled down to a minimal range of functionality---mostly text fields with a dropdown that allows you to select a more specific type of field, such as signature, which apppears no more special than a text field, anyhow. Gone is the "Button" field and other fillable form customizations, such as the ability to add Javascript functionality options to certain fields).

Is there logic I'm missing here? Well, yes, but what is that logic?

Thanks.

[radzmar]

To check the state of signature fields you need another method. 

this.getField("SignatureFieldName").signatureValidate();
// 0 and 1 = unsigned, 2 = invalid signature, 3 = valid signature but signer not verified, 4 = valid signature

[christopher_6355]

Didn't work for me. But thanks for the reply.

[MikelKlink]

What exactly are those e-signature fields? Regular AcroForm forms don't know such fields. 

[christopher_6355]

Thanks for your comment and question. I'm beginning to understand it's an important one. And your use of this term "AcroForm", not recognized in Adobe documentation, seems to indicate that there is a distinction that needs to be made more obvious and simply better between Fillable Form and Sign Form attributes, properties, purposes, and functionality. The community has created the term in the absence of a good one. That these are two different separate functions for PDF is not readily apparent for someone just getting started with creating a PDF form. It's a bit blurry between the two. And I'm afraid I made some assumptions at the start that now, after learning a little more, don't make sense. Some functionality works in either form type, while other functionality is meaningless in one or the other form type.

A coworker gave me a Word-doc form that the department wanted converted into a PDF fillable form. Using the "Prepare a form" tool, I worked through where there should be dropdowns, plain text fields, radio buttons and signature fields. But perhaps the unique case with this form is that the department wants the two parties involved with verifying and signing the form to provide a a formal digital signature at the very end of the form but also several less-formal signatures (as well as initials) at the end of each section of the form as a way of indicating both the parties have completed and understand the requirements of the specific section. So, one official signature at the end, and several less formal signatures along the way. I thought I could use the "Add your signature or initials" tool in the floating tool bar in the left margin (e.g., "Select text" tool, "Add a comment" tool, "Highlight selected text" tool, etc.) to fulfill the less-formal signature requirement. But these signatures are simply images. And since the department wants some kind of validation that all fields have been filled in before digitally signing, the e-signature images won't work for that because an image won't trigger the filled-in field requirement--it has to be text entered in a field.

By the way, the field properties in an AcroForm provide much more customization than field properties in a Sign Form (see attachment). I guess that should be obvious, given that a Sign Form is basically just that, a form to be agreed upon and signed, while an AcroForm is apparently intended as more of a procedural record or capture of data appropriate for archiving. But this is just my own assessment from what I've observed so far. The Adobe documentation only seems to obscure the difference, or avoid it outright. The idea of the PDF form now seems to me a collection of features thrown scattershot over and across the edges of arbitraily named products. 

Similar to that is the way it discusses signatures. Sometimes the documentation distinguishes between e-signatures and digital signatures. Other times it refers to digital signatures simply as a class of e-signatures.  

"Adobe Acrobat supports a range of solutions for electronic and digital signatures."

About certificate signatures in Adobe Acrobat

Anyhow, it is what it is. I'm adding these comments more as a document for others just getting started with forms. It has also helped me process and understand the beast a little better (but not entirely). So, for what it's worth ...

And thanks for the first responders here, and your attempts to help with my confusion.