VBA and JavaScript to extract data from fillable pdf - signature problems

[Brandon5FD9]

I have Adobe Acrobat DC and am attempting to extract data from fillable pdf forms into an access database using Visual Basic for Appliactions and Java Script.  My routines allow users to select a form to import and it loop through all fields and imports data into a table in db.  This part works fine.  The issue I am having is that sometimes the signatures show up as the first objects in the field colleciton as "Signature1", "Signature2", "Signature3", etc... These are always the first indexes in the collection instead of in the location they show up on the acutal form. Some forms when imported the signature fields actually have the actual field name such as "ApprovalSig" (for approvers) or "PointSig" for point of contact as identified on the form and in the proper order.

Code: This code was originally obtained from theDBGuy's PDF Form Fields Demo at accessmvp.com/thedbguy and modified for my purposes

On Error GoTo errHandler

Dim appAcro As Object
Dim docAcro As Object
Dim docPD As Object
Dim jso As Object
Dim fd As Object
Dim strFile As String
Dim lngCounter As Long
Dim fName As String
Dim fValue As String

Set fd = Application.FileDialog(3) 'filepicker

'select PDF file
With fd
    .AllowMultiSelect = False
    .Filters.Clear
    .Filters.Add "PDF Files", "*.pdf"
    .Title = "Locate PDF file"
    If .Show Then
        strFile = .SelectedItems(1)
        Me.lblFilePath.Caption = strFile
        
        Set appAcro = CreateObject("Acroexch.AVDoc")
        If appAcro.Open(strFile, "") Then
            Set docPD = appAcro.getPDDoc()
            Set jso = docPD.getJSObject
            
            'clear previous field list
            Me.txtFields = Null
            
            If jso.numFields > 0 Then
                For lngCounter = 0 To jso.numFields - 1
                    fName = jso.getNthFieldName(lngCounter)
                    If jso.getfield(fName).Type = "signature" Then
                        If jso.getfield(fName).SignatureInfo.Status <> 0 Then
                            fValue = jso.getfield(fName).SignatureInfo.Name & " " & jso.getfield(fName).SignatureInfo.Date
                        Else
                            fValue = "Signature Missing"
                        End If
                    Else
                        fValue = jso.getfield(fName).Value
                    End If
                    Me.txtFields = Me.txtFields & fName & "-" & fValue & vbCrLf 'Me.txtFields & jso.getNthFieldName(lngCounter) & "-" & jso.getfield(jso.getNthFieldName(lngCounter)).Value & vbCrLf
                    
                Next
                MsgBox "Done!", vbInformation, "Demo"
                
            Else
                MsgBox "No form fields found!", vbInformation, "No Fields"
                
            End If
            'Close the PDF; the True parameter prevents the Save As dialog from showing
            appAcro.Close True
            
        Else
            'unexpected Acrobat error
            MsgBox "There was a problem reading the PDF file.", vbInformation, "Error"
            
        End If
        
    End If
    
End With

errExit:
    'cleanup
    Set fd = Nothing
    Set jso = Nothing
    Set docPD = Nothing
    Set docAcro = Nothing
    Set appAcro = Nothing
    Exit Sub
    
errHandler:
    MsgBox Err.Number & ": " & Err.Description
    Resume errExit

  Why would the field indexes when looping through fields change, perhaps based on what app was used to complete the form?

Any help appreciated

[Thom Parker]

The fields in a PDF are indexed according the order they appear in the document level field list, no physical location. They change when the form is edited in such a way as to change this field list.  AFAIK: It doesn't have anything to do with the appliction that is calling the JS, the fields are always in the same order.

Why is the order a problem?  

On another note. You can make this code more efficient and robust by moving all of the JavaScript related functionality to a folder level JavaScript function in Acrobat. Then calling that function from the JSO.  You could also order the fields in the function according to how you wanted it done. 

[Brandon5FD9]

NVM.  I figured it out.  Users were drawing signatures instead of using the digital signature blocks provided.