My custom dynamic stamp is not dynamic.

[scottm5887954]

Hey folks, been working with this all day. Just trying to create a simple "printed" stamp with the time and date on it.   Here is what I did.

1. Created the printed.png file.

2. Used Create Custom Stamp, selected my .png file, categorized it as dynamic, named it, and saved it.

3. Open up the stamp from c:\users\username\appdata\roaming\adobe\acrobat\DC\Stamps.

4. Used Prepare Form, created a text field, lined it up right below "printed" and added the javascript code.  (I saw the time and date appear in the stamp.

5. I saved the stamp and moved it to c:\program files(x86)\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\plug_ins\Annotations\Stamps

6. I closed Adobe Acrobat.

7. I open Acrobat and choose a .pdf file to open.

8. i try to stamp it, but all I see is "Printed", the dynamic date and time do not appear.

If I browse to the stamp .pdf and open it, I DO see the time and date, but when I use it as a stamp, I do not.

Why?   I cant figure it out for the life of me.

[try67]

Post the code you used.

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

Try67 is right, we need to see your code.

But there are a few things you can do to potentially get a step or two further:

Does the dynamic stamp work when it's in your user level stamp folder?

Did you change the internal stamp name? For dynamic stamps, you need to use an internal stamp name that starts with a '#' - otherwise the stamp script will not be evaluated every time you place the stamp. To change the stamp name, go into Page Templates and change the template name from "abcdef=some string" to "#abcdef=some string".

Do you see any error message in the JavaScript console? You can bring up the console using Ctrl-J - if there are any error messages, please copy and paste them into your reply.

[Thom Parker · Accepted solution]

First, you've placed the same stamp in two different locations. One of these needs to be deleted. I would suggest deleting the original stamp file in the "user" folder.

This could be the source of the problem, i.e., Acrobat is picking up the stamp in the User folder (no dynamic field) first and then ignoring the second stamp file in the App folder.

[scottm5887954]

"

First, you've placed the same stamp in two different locations. One of these needs to be deleted. I would suggest deleting the original stamp file in the "user" folder.

This could be the source of the problem, i.e., Acrobat is picking up the stamp in the User folder (no dynamic field) first and then ignoring the second stamp file in the App folder."

This.  Thank you so much. So many of the tutorial processes out there do not mention deleting the one stamp, which could explain why I saw hundreds of people complaining about it not working for them like it was for me.  The moment I got rid of the stamp under the user profile, the stamp worked correctly.   Thank you so much.

But, it led me to finding out this is not what is wanted by the customer.   Now i have to figure out how to have Adobe Acrobat time stamp a print out automatically everytime its printed.

Thanks again.

[Thom Parker]

Excellent!! Glad this was an easy stamp issue to fix.

To help us understand how this situation came about, can I ask you about your process?  Where did you find the steps you took to make this dynamic stamp?  Why did you choose to copy the stamp into the "app" area, rather than leave it in the "user" area? 

About printing:

There is a Document Action for "WillPrint". You'll find the dialog for setting the actions under the JavaScript tools.  I would suggest placing a form field on the PDF, then use the "WillPrint" event to put the print date in this field. If you want this date to only be seen on the Printed page, set the form field visibility to "Hidden but printable".

[scottm5887954]

Well I looked at many of the online tutorials explaining how to set this up, after seeing they were all pretty similar, I followed one, and it was that one that had me copy the final product to the App area instead of the userprofile area. Just not sure exactly which one it was. Will look and post the link later when i have time.   And as I stated, I believe many of the processes have it this way becuase I saw a ton of people with the exact issue as I had with following the exact process , no errors, but then the time stamp didnt happen. I believe it might be having the stamp in 2 places like I did. But alas, I am just glad I found my resolution.

The WillPrint issue.  Does this need to be applied to each and every PDF we need to print time stamp?  THis request is coming from a customer who has a folder full of PDF SOP's.  She is requesting that when the analysts print them, they are time stamped.  So, can I set those analysts' Adobe Reader up to timestamp any PDF they print?

[Thom Parker]

Thanks for the info. I would be very interested in seeing that article that suggested copying to the app folder, since it is causing user problems.

If you want to catch the print event on a particular document, then yes, the code must be on the Will Print event in that document.

However, if this is a user based thing instead of document, then you can create an automation tool for performing the print and adding the date. The user would have to install the tool, which would create a menu or toolbutton item in Acrobat. They user would have to click on this tool to perform the print.  This could also be an Action, which can be applied to an entire folder, and it easier to install. These automation tools could use your stamp to apply the date.

[scottm5887954]

Hey, I found the link I followed.

Create a custom dynamic stamp using Acrobat DC    You will notice the first save is to the userprofile area, then further down, at the end, it tells you to COPY (not move) it to the App area.  And its from the Official Adobe site.  LOL

How difficult is it to set up that automation tool?  I have no experience with that?

[Thom Parker]

Thank you for posting that link.

In the tutorial the copy to the app folder is for installing the stamp on another computer.  But it is definitely unclear and misleading. Since it was copied from the user folder at the start, they should have stayed with it.

For the kind of tool you want it's not too difficult. Take a look at the "Action Wizard" in the Acrobat Pro Tools. I believe that printing is one of the command options. For the first bit, adding the date you'll need to write a script.

Here's some info on placing an annotation, i.e. your date stamp.

PDF Page Coordinates (page size, field placement, etc.)

https://acrobatusers.com/tutorials/auto_placement_annotations

[laneg5674216]

For the life of me I cannot get any dynamic stamps to work.  I've spent hours sifting through all of these posts and none of the 'solutions' people here have suggested are working for me.  I created a stamp in Acrobat Pro DC using a PDF file - opened in and used prepare form to create all the fields and checkboxes I needed - saved this file with the same name in the user folder only.  I then insert into another PDF and it is not dynamic - none of the fields are editable.

[try67]

One of the things that is mentioned in almost any discussion of stamps is that they are NOT editable after you apply them, only at the moment you do so. That's why we use dialogs and other such methods of getting user input and then inserting it into the stamp. Otherwise the whole thing would be much simpler...

[jasonl80023308]

I believe that I'm having the same problem. My dynamic stamp works until I exit Acrobat.  I have placed the file in /Users/jasonlynch/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Acrobat/DC/Stamps/

Can you tell me the path to find the second location where the stamp may be?  Which one do I delete?

Thanks for your help!