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jackl69835594
Participant
May 27, 2015
Answered

How do I work with livecycle forms in acrobat DC

  • May 27, 2015
  • 10 replies
  • 23155 views


I have been making forms for clincal data collection for a couple of years, and have gradually figured out how to distribute forms and collect data.  To do this, I have been using Acrobat 9 or 10 Pro and working with Live Cycle.  Today, I upgraded to Acrobat Pro DC, and I learned that my Live Cycle program is gone.  I read in another forum post that Livecycle and Acrobat pro have be "debundled".  I tried to take my form and modify it in Acrobat Pro DC, and got an error message that says that I cannot modify the form in DC.  So, I tried to figure out what the replacement program is.

So:

A:  Can LiveCycle and Acrobat Pro DC co exist

B:  Is Live Cycle still the right program for making and workign with these forms

C:  Is there a way to take the previous forms I was working with in Live Cycle and convert them into forms that can be modified in Acrobat Pro DC?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer George_Johnson

If the form is a dynamic XFA form with autoexpanding fields, tables, or new pages, you won't be able to convert to an AcroForm, which is Acrobat native form type.

If they are static XFA forms, then you can create a near functional duplicate in Acrobat. If you used FormCalc, you will have to reprogram in JavaScript, and any JavaScript will have to be reprogrammed to the mostly different Acrobat model. If you still have access to Acrobat 9, you can take advantage of a bug in it that will let you convert the XFA to an Acroform, but it will lose any programming and certain field properties. I'm not really recommending this, but it's an option if you're desperate.

It may be easier to just get the latest version of LiveCycle Designer.

10 replies

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
January 29, 2018

Or buy LiveCycle Designer. Or if you have a spare old machine and Acrobat X or 9, use them.

M
Magendanz
Participant
November 8, 2017

Alternatively, you can just export the pages in Acrobat Pro DC.  It should allow you to open those exported pages in the Prepare Form tool and add/edit fields.  All of the existing form fields seem to come over just fine.

Bernd Alheit
Community Expert
Bernd AlheitCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 9, 2017

Adobe Acrobat can't extract pages from XFA forms.

nadeemh34786614
nadeemh34786614
Participating Frequently
May 14, 2024

Is there anything it can do?

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
October 1, 2016

Electronic forms aren't usually just done online so you can email them. They are done so that the receiving agent (e.g. IRS) can AUTOMATICALLY get out what you filled. If you do tricks like this they won't be able to get your data out and will reject the form. How important is this? Depends on the form.

M
Mobius Strip
Known Participant
October 2, 2016

There are no formulas in the form. Beyond that, I don't care, since I get paid anyway.

If Adobe is going to pull this rip-off, it's time to abandon Acrobat as a file format. Most governments prohibit this kind of proprietary BS in public standards.

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
October 1, 2016

I agree taking it out was a Very Bad Thing. But I have some corrections.

1. That page is for the whole LiveCycle suite, which is something costing many tens of thousands of dollars, run by big companies on servers. The name has changed since ES4 but it still exists. YOU DON'T WANT THAT!

2. LiveCycle Designer is a part of that but all you want. Leaving the "Designer" off the name is a catastrophe. I found a BUY link on Designer ES4 comprehensive design tool | Adobe LiveCycle Enterprise Suite 4 .

3. The IRS do NOT want you to edit their forms at all. I've heard it may be illegal too. They want you to FILL the forms only. You can fill them with the free Acrobat Reader, or with Acrobat, without any extra software. On no account click an EDIT button, just start typing. If you need to sign it, many IRS forms require to be printed and have an ink signature; you cannot in any case add a scanned signature by editing a LiveCycle Designer form.

M
Mobius Strip
Known Participant
October 1, 2016

I'm filling out the form, not changing the form's boilerplate. The "edit" is to put a PNG signature on it, which I've done many, many times over the years and there's never been a problem. Nor can there be, logically: I'm E-mailing the form anyway, so it will always be an electronic representation.

Here's the solution: Open the PDF in another application (like Preview) and simply save it as a PDF or print it to PDF. Open in Acrobat and edit as you please.

Rip-off foiled.

try67
Community Expert
try67Community Expert
Community Expert
October 1, 2016

That's even worse. By doing that you're potentially removing all kinds of calculations and validations that were in the original form.

Proceed at your own risk.

M
Mobius Strip
Known Participant
October 1, 2016

I just opened what appears to be a regular PDF form (a W-9 from the IRS, 2014 revision) in Acrobat Pro DC, and now I can't edit it. This is the first time I've had a problem editing any form, let alone an IRS one.

What's the point of Acrobat now?

This attempted rip-off is a double failure, because if you go to the LiveCycler page at Adobe, there's no way to buy it (not that I ever would). It appears to be a defunct or unreleased product.

    colinac
    colinac
    Participant
    October 14, 2016

    I am having the same issue. I used to just adjust the date on my W-9 before sending a new one to a new client. Now I can't edit it like I have done for years. I am stuck with having to work around it by saving the W9 as an image and then editing the date on or just printing it, hand writing the date and scanning it back in...It used to be so much easier.

    G
    George_Johnson
    Inspiring
    October 15, 2016

    Here's a link to a fillable W-9 form from the IRS: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf

    R
    rickdavis7
    Participant
    October 9, 2015

    Just a note. This is a new issue for all of us who worked tirelessly on forms in LiveCycle Designer and were NOT TOLD that we would lose it when we upgraded (?) to Adobe CC. I think CC is a great idea, and I understand marketing is changing, but how is it ethical to remove a purchased program and install another minus a vital part of it's functionality and then hold the customer hostage for a $299 fee to restore what was taken away? Come on Adobe! Include LiveCycle in the CC and keep your monthly subscription users happy.

      T
      Test Screen Name
      Legend
      October 9, 2015

      It really isn't a new issue though. The last release to include LiveCycle Designer was Acrobat X. Version XI, released 3 years ago, didn't include LiveCycle Designer. However, for a limited period, Adobe did offer free Designer licenses to upgraders.

      barrye53551575
      barrye53551575
      Participant
      January 29, 2018

      I pay the bastards monthly, and now have to do a whole new form for one change. Awful.

        jeffwku
        jeffwku
        Participant
        August 27, 2015

        Having the same issue.  What a shame that DC conveniently uninstalled LiveCycle from my Adobe Acrobat 9.  I am debating downgrading back to 9 or purchasing LC, which is $299!  Yikes.

        T
        Test Screen Name
        Legend
        August 28, 2015

        Just a note that this is not a new issue. Acrobat XI (11) did not include Designer either.

        J
        jackl69835594Author
        Participant
        June 5, 2015

        I want to say thank you to both, Try67 and George Johnson

        I ended up getting a LiveCycle Designer updated trial.

        Will consider buying the program depending on how it goes.

        Best

        JML

        G
        George_JohnsonCorrect answer
        Inspiring
        May 28, 2015

        If the form is a dynamic XFA form with autoexpanding fields, tables, or new pages, you won't be able to convert to an AcroForm, which is Acrobat native form type.

        If they are static XFA forms, then you can create a near functional duplicate in Acrobat. If you used FormCalc, you will have to reprogram in JavaScript, and any JavaScript will have to be reprogrammed to the mostly different Acrobat model. If you still have access to Acrobat 9, you can take advantage of a bug in it that will let you convert the XFA to an Acroform, but it will lose any programming and certain field properties. I'm not really recommending this, but it's an option if you're desperate.

        It may be easier to just get the latest version of LiveCycle Designer.

        try67
        Community Expert
        try67Community Expert
        Community Expert
        May 27, 2015

        A. Should do, yes. The program is still LiveCycle Designer but you now need to purchase it separately.

        B. If they are LCD forms it's the only tool you can use to edit them.

        C. Yes, but you would basically need to re-do the entire form as the two formats are not interchangeable.

          J
          jackl69835594Author
          Participant
          May 27, 2015

          Thanks very much.

          Very disappointing that the new program has this issue.

          Cheers

          jml

            try67
            Community Expert
            try67Community Expert
            Community Expert
            May 27, 2015

            It's not a new development. Acrobat forms and LCD forms have always been completely different creatures.

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