Hi Jenny, When you import the PDF files into FrameMaker, they will be treated as static graphics with no interactivity. The only way I know of to do this is to create your forms in FrameMaker. Then you add Hypertext markers using MicroType's TimeSavers with Forms Assistant; you add special codes to these markers, and when you create the PDF, these will create the appropriate form fields on the fly. There are main things to consider:
1) You have to design your forms in FrameMaker using objects like tables, text frames, etc. Certain forms can be difficult to create in FrameMaker. 2) You have to have TimeSavers and Forms Assistant installed when you distill the file (http://www.microtype.com). The advantages are that you can single source your forms and other content using FrameMaker. And you can change the look and feel of your form and redistill, and not have to recreate your form fields. I recently did a couple of forms like this and was pretty happy with the results. It was especially worthwhile when I had to make changes to the look of the form. I resized the table containing my form items, added a couple of extra columns, and when I created the new PDF, my form fields were in the right place at the right size. Very slick. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Thank you very much. Rick Quatro Carmen Publishing Inc. 585-659-8267 rick at frameexpert.com *** Frame Automation blog at http://frameautomation.com -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Jenny Greenleaf Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 1:50 PM To: framers at lists.frameusers.com Subject: Can you put a fillable PDF in a Frame document? Helpful beings, I am documenting a product that requires some planning before implementing. I developed some nifty forms using Adobe LiveCycle Designer. I am making the forms available as a separate package on the documentation CD as well as the company support site. Customers can fill in the forms and save them with the data. I have copies of the forms in an appendix to my manual. I have been just importing the PDFs, like graphics, which leaves them static, i.e., the customers cannot fill them out online. It would be nice for the customers to be able to fill the forms out in the manual and save them with data without having to use the separate forms package. There seem to be several ways to import PDFs, but I haven't stumbled across the right combination yet to create forms that can be filled out in Acrobat Reader. I know I can splice the separate PDFs in later, but I'd like to have them generated when I print the book to PDF. I also know that I have to enable form filling in the final PDF. Is that possible? Has anyone done this? Tips or tricks much appreciated! Jenny _______________________________________________ You are currently subscribed to framers as rick at rickquatro.com. Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/rick%40rickquatro.com Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
