• Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
    Dedicated community for Japanese speakers
  • 한국 커뮤니티
    Dedicated community for Korean speakers
Exit
1

Display Export Value of dropdown instead of Item

Explorer ,
Jan 21, 2016 Jan 21, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I'm trying to show the Export Value of a dropdown instead of the selected option i.e. the user selects BLACK but the export value of BLK is actually displayed.  I can find lots of discussions on how to pull the export value and display it or use it to trigger another response in another field and I can usually tweak my existing JavaScripts when I need something new but I cannot seem to wrap my head around this!

This is my latest (failed) attempt

var f = this.getField("eyes");

if (event.value == "Black - BLK")

f.value = "BLK"

I'm using Acrobat PRO DC.

Any help is appreciated,

Thanks

Meabh


TOPICS
Acrobat SDK and JavaScript , Windows

Views

5.3K

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines

correct answers 1 Correct answer

LEGEND , Jan 21, 2016 Jan 21, 2016

I've been doing this a long time, and have never heard of anyone wanting something like this, so it's interesting. Remove your current script and try the following as the custom Format script of the eyes dropdown:

// Custom Format script for dropdown

event.value = event.target.getItemAt(event.target.currentValueIndices, true);

This sets what's displayed in the dropdown to the export value of the selected item. Select the "Commit selected value immediately" option for the dropdown for the smoothest

...

Votes

Translate

Translate
LEGEND ,
Jan 21, 2016 Jan 21, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Where did you place that script? What field and what event?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Jan 21, 2016 Jan 21, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

In the Custom Calculation Script of the "eyes" dropdown field.  I'm trying to get the Export Value to display in the dropdown field, not in a separate field. I can only assume I'm making this harder than it needs to be.

Meabh

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Jan 21, 2016 Jan 21, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I've been doing this a long time, and have never heard of anyone wanting something like this, so it's interesting. Remove your current script and try the following as the custom Format script of the eyes dropdown:

// Custom Format script for dropdown

event.value = event.target.getItemAt(event.target.currentValueIndices, true);

This sets what's displayed in the dropdown to the export value of the selected item. Select the "Commit selected value immediately" option for the dropdown for the smoothest operation.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Jan 22, 2016 Jan 22, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

This is not the 1st time you've helped me and once again you save me. That's exactly what I need, thank you.  I can honestly say I have never used the Custom Format Script before, not sure I even knew it existed. Glad I could find something a little outside the norm to catch your interest!

Thank you again

Meabh

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Nov 05, 2018 Nov 05, 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Thank you George_Johnson .. you solution help me.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I am so glad I found this thread.  I did it exactly as its suggested and it works perfectly but unfortunately only in the editor Acrobat PRO DC.  I saved it and sent it to myself and it does not work in the browser or in Acrobat Reader.
Am I doing something wrong or can this not work in the way I need?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

The only reasons for the code not to work is that

1) Its not actually saved in the PDF

2) The PDF viewer does not support the particular JavaScript properties/functions.

#2 would be true for any native browser viewer or mobile viewer (Android and IOS), including the mobile Acrobat Reader

Thom Parker - Software Developer at PDFScripting
Use the Acrobat JavaScript Reference early and often

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Why wouldn't it be saved in the PDF?  What good would any code be if it weren't?
A person on Reddit gave me this suggested code;

"event.value = event.value.substring(0,2);"

which effectively formats the output to truncate everything after the first two characters.  That code does save into the document.  I am able to send it to myself and it operates exactly as expected when I open the document in Acrobat Reader.
However, this suggestion comes with some issues as there are some codes that are going to be more than 2 digits long.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

There's no reason it shouldn't work in Reader, if properly created. Can you share the actual file with us, or at least explain what you did?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Untitled-1.jpg

Untitled-2.jpg

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

This doesn't make sense. You're trying to set the drop-down field's own value when it's selected? I thought you were trying to copy it to another field.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

No.  I am trying to do exactly the same thing as the OP.
The list of values displayed in the dropdown are in a format like the following;
"01 - Repaired"
I want the output to the final saved, printed or exported PDF to be; "01" and not "01 - Repaired".

The code George provided does exactly what I need inside the editor BUT does not work in reader or anywhere else taht I have tries.  Effectively making it of no value

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

OK, I see what you mean. I just tried it in Reader XI and it worked fine.

In what version are you trying it, and what exactly happens when you do?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Ah...  It's the mobile Acrobat Reader and the Chrome Acrobat Reader.  Neither of those work.
However, the alternative bit of code that the fella on reddit suggested does work across the board

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

The mobile version supports almost no scripts. If it's working it's a stroke of luck.

Chrome uses its own internal PDF plugin, not related to Adobe. It is known to be problematic, especially when it comes to scripts.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

On desktop Chrome I am not using the default Chrome solution.  I have the Adobe plugging installed.  It should be full functional but unfortunately it seems it’s not

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
May 13, 2019 May 13, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Unfortunately I can't post my form because its an internal form but we do a lot with efiling and continually tell filers to stay away from Chrome.  Simple things like  a 'checked' checkbox will transmit as unchecked and scripts, as noted above, have varied success. This specific script is only used thru Adobe Reader so I've not had issues with it.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I'm not saying that the code isn't being saved, just that if it isn't working, that its a possibility. I think my other suggestion is more on the mark. And especially given that the second bit of code you posted does work.

The "substring" function is core JavaScript, whereas "event.target.currentValueIndices" is Acrobat specific. This would indicate that the code is saved and "Reader" implements the necessary core JS functionality, but not the Acrobat specific functionality.  Which suggest you are trying to view this PDF in the Mobile Reader. Is this true?

But of course this thread is about displaying the export value of the dropdown item. How is does this relate to using the substring function? You've left out a lot of information.

Thom Parker - Software Developer at PDFScripting
Use the Acrobat JavaScript Reference early and often

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

How does the "Export Value" option work if you can explain?
From what I could tell up to stumbling on George_Johnson 's reply in this thread, it did nothing what so ever.  Given the nomenclature, one would assume it is intended for exactly what I am trying to do but I was never able to get the option to do anything at all without the code George provided.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Maybe explain what you want to achieve, first.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
May 12, 2019 May 12, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I found an option that will work.  It is a workaround but I don't foresee any problems and it will do the trick.
Here is the code he provided;

var value = event.value; var spacePos = value.indexOf(" "); if (spacePos >= 0) { event.value = event.value.substring(0, spacePos); }

Effectively it truncates everything after the first [SPACE].  That should work fine for my intended result.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
May 06, 2020 May 06, 2020

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi George_Johnson, 
I also have a similar incident, however once plugging in the script, it does not work

2020-05-06_18-25-25.png2020-05-06_18-25-39.png

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Apr 27, 2023 Apr 27, 2023

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Kevin28174977,

 

The javascript is in the wrong tab. I did the same thing and it was not working. I got it working.

1. Put the code in the FORMAT tab.

2. Select format category dropdown to custom.

3. Edit button to input code to Custom Format Script.

 

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Dec 01, 2023 Dec 01, 2023

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

this isnt working for me. both mobile and on desktoip app. it just displays the highest value in the drop down constantly. ie: i have a dropdown with 13 options. "01 - xxxxxxxxx" through "13 - xxxxxxxxx" and anytime the document loads, all the drop downs display "13" by default. which is no good for what i need. 

 

cheers,

kevin

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines