How to run samples in SDKv1?

[brettr2]

I have downloaded the Acrobat SDK for Windows (sdkDC_v1_win.zip). I'd like to run the .NET samples. When I open the FillFormCS or BasicIacCS projects, the Acrobat reference is missing. The instructions on how to get this are no longer valid.

Any ideas where I can find this reference?

Ultimately, I'm trying to figure out how to load the Acrobat PDF object into a Winform app, allow the user to add data to a fillable PDF form and save that data. The forms will be converted to fillable using Acrobat DC Pro.

I have this loading using AxAcroPDFLib but that is obviously read only. So I can't save anything a user types into the PDF.

[Test Screen Name]

I wonder if you have Acrobat Pro on your machine (and every one for deployment of course...)

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

You will need to have Acrobat installed on your computer. Acrobat is a requirement for using most of the Acrobat SDK (hence the name). there are a few things you can do with just the free Reader, but for the examples you've mentioned, you will need to have Adobe Acrobat installed, and then you should be able to add the reference to your project. If all you see is AxAcroPDFLib, then you only have the free Reader installed.

[brettr2]

Thanks. This might be a problem because the client computers my app will be deployed to will only have the free reader.  I will have DC Pro to create fillable forms. Those forms will all go out to the clients. If they open the form in the free reader app, they can type into the PDF and save it.

Why is DC Pro required for clients to use my app and save changes to PDFs but not if they are going straight through the free reader app?

Since I can't deploy DC Pro to every client, is there some other way to capture their changes to a PDF in my app?  I'm using iText and can merge data into a PDF and save it. I just can't capture what someone is typing into the PDF, which seems like it would be the same as merging data.

[Test Screen Name]

A useful way to understand the Acrobat SDK is that it is a marketing tool for Acrobat, designed to get people to buy more copies of Acrobat to deploy developed solutions. So, while it contains certain specific APIs that are available in Reader, they are really a very limited subset (such as passive display of a PDF). So saving in Reader is not viable. Indeed it used to be impossible in Reader anyway, except for Reader enabled files. The Reader enabling world has changed but the API has not.

Be cautious about integrating Reader with non-Adobe PDF editing/creation technology. Adobe didn't produce Reader so you could use it as a display tool but get out of buying Acrobat, and the EULA is designed to make this difficult or unattractive. The EULA in question is the Reader EULA and applies to each end user, rather than to you. I think you may be OK but check out section 4 (or have a lawyer check it).

However, it may be possible to submit files to an HTTP URL if you are able to offer a server. Not clear it works on localhost. Acrobat must not be run on the server.

[brettr2]

I'm not sure what you mean. Users can save PDFs with just the free reader. So why is there a limitation to doing the same using the SDK?

[lrosenth]

Simply because Adobe hasn’t updated the SDK to allow it.

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

The limitation is that the API you want to use is not available for Reader.

As TSN mentioned, you can use a form submission to get date from the form into your application as long as you can provide a simple server. I've done this with just a simple Python script that implements the most basic HTML server to receive an XFDF forms submission and reply with an FDF to report status back to the user.

[brettr2]

That won't work unless the user has saved their changes in the PDF right? Otherwise, what ever they typed into the pdf is still in memory.

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

You would need to trigger a submit action, which is usually done via a button click, but you can also do this programatically from within JavaScript in the document when you think the document is filled out completely. You would have to come up with logic that triggers that submission.

[brettr2]

Winforms don't have javascript.

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

The JavaScript would be in your PDF document. I was referring to JavaScript that is running inside Adobe Acrobat or the free Adobe Reader.