Trying to pull PDF signature from XML file to be displayed in a second PDF form.

[riff007]

I have created two PDF forms...one for the end user to fill out, digitally sign, and email submit as an XML file (via a 'submit' button).  I call that the 'input form'. The other PDF looks exactly the same, but it is not set up for input, but instead displays the XML file data for each field from the input form (accomplished through text boxes set to 'protected').  I call that the 'display form'.  All works great except that I cannot figure out how to get the signature from within the XML file to show on the 'display form'.  To make it clear on the set up, the input form will be used by the customer to send specific information to us once the form is filled out and digitally signed.  They send the information by clicking a submit button, which populates an XML file in an email message.  When we receive the XML file via email, I drag the XML file over to the new form through windows explorer and it displays every field from the input form except the digital signature.  There is surely a way to get this to work, right?

I'll go ahead and answer a question that you may have for me.  Why not just send it as a PDF instead of an XML file?  I cannot have the information submitted as a PDF because the input form contains a lot of JavaScript to hide, display, and to perform logic tests for various fields on the input form.  I found that when it is submitted as a PDF, the form load sequence will try to perform JavaScript actions that interfere with the post-submitted file.  So then fields are displayed/hidden that shouldn't be, etc.  This was the first method I tried and spent many many hours to find a solution to it.  The XML submission route works fantastic...except I can't figure out how to get the display form to show the signature from the input form.

I've searched everywhere online for an answer to this, but have not had any luck whatsoever.  Can someone help me out?  Much appreciated!

[margueritek]

Signatures are not transferrable. If they were, you could just pull a signature from one document and apply it to a second document, making it look like the user had signed the second document. The digital signature is tied to the PDF that was signed. Only. You will need to submit the original PDF, and turn off Javascript when opening it.

[riff007]

Thanks for your help.  I understand that sigs can't be duplicated through docs with a PDF file extension, however, I was hoping the signature that is locked in the XML file could simply be displayed in a locked/protected field of a PDF form.  I guess I was wishing beyond the current capabilities of Adobe.   

I need some JavaScript to work after the form is opened after submission, so turning it completely off isn't an option.  What seemed to be the obvious solution is using Action Builder in LiveCycle and set the form to run JavaScript after it 'has been submitted' by setting the following condition and result:

Condition:

When form (name) [has been submitted]

Result:

Set the visibility of (object) to [state]

However, it never works.  When the form is opened after being submitted, then received by us,  the same JavaScript runs as it did when the user first opened it before filling it out.  Acrobat wants to run all the script that is in the form1.docReady action instead of what I set in the Condition within Action Builder.

[Bernd Alheit]

Try the forum for Livecycle Designer.

[Test Screen Name]

It isn't a limitation of Acrobat, but a limitation of the whole concept of digital signatures; they cannot be lifted and applied to another file by any trick. If there were such a trick, they would be almost worthless as fraud would quickly mean signatures were not trusted as legal proof.

You want to do something good, but the first people to use this would use it to "prove" that a user who thought they were applying for a lottery had instead signed up for a million dollar loan.