Importing PDF files

PDF files can come from many sources, and each authoring application can define the contents of the PDF file in a unique manner.

Before importing a PDF file into Designer, you should understand the different options available for fine-tuning the results of the import process.

Note: PDF files created by using Designer do not go through the import process. They open directly in Designer and should appear as designed without modifications.

You use the New Form Assistant to import PDF files. Using the New Form Assistant simplifies the process. It guides you through a number of steps in which you choose the PDF file to import, how you want to work with the imported PDF content, and how the form is distributed and returned.

When Designer is integrated with Workbench, you can also use Workbench to import PDF files. In Workbench, select File > New > Form and then follow the onscreen instructions. On the Getting Started panel of the New Form Assistant, select the Import A PDF Document option.

If you are using the stand-alone version of Designer, you can also use the Import Options dialog box to import a PDF file. The Import Options dialog box is not available when you use Designer with Workbench. Using the Import Options dialog box gives you more control over the way Designer imports the contents of the PDF file when creating an interactive form with a flowable layout. For example, you can select custom options that control how Designer processes the text, paragraphs, and images in the document. Use one of these methods to display the Import Options dialog box:

  • Click the Do Not Use the Assistant link in the New Form Assistant to open the Assistant Options dialog box. Select the option that best suits your needs.

  • Select Tools > Options to open the Options dialog box, select Wizards and Tips and, under Form Assistance, deselect Show When Importing Documents. (See Wizards and Tips (Options dialog box).).

Before you import a PDF, consider the following scenarios:

  • If you have a PDF document that was created in Acrobat or an application other than Designer, and you want to import the contents as background artwork and maintain the original layout and appearance of the document, select Create an Interactive Form with Fixed Pages. You can edit any interactive objects and place additional library objects on top of the artwork.

  • If you want to edit and change the content of the PDF document in Designer, select Create an Interactive Form with a Flowable Layout. Word-wrapping and line breaks may not be preserved.

If you are not satisfied with the initial conversion, you can experiment with different combinations of options to achieve the best results.

Note: When importing a PDF file that has security permissions set, Designer prompts you to enter the correct password to prevent unauthorized access.

To import a PDF file by using the New Form Assistant in the stand-alone version of Designer

  1. Select File > New.

  2. In the Getting Started panel of the New Form Assistant, select Import a PDF Document and click Next.

  3. In the Setup: Import a PDF panel, browse to and select the PDF file you want to import, click Open, and then click Next.

  4. In the Document Setup: Import Options panel, select the import option you want to use:

    • To import the PDF file as background artwork, select Create an Interactive Form with Fixed Pages. When you import a PDF file as background artwork, Designer preserves the appearance of the original document and retains existing interactive fields.

    • To import the PDF file so that you can edit it in Designer, select Create an Interactive Form With a Flowable Layout.

  5. Click Next.

  6. [Optional] In the Form Return Setup: Adding Buttons panel, select how the form is distributed and how the form data is returned.

  7. Click Finish.

To import a PDF file without the New Form Assistant in the stand-alone version of Designer

  1. Select File > Open.

  2. Navigate to the PDF file that you want to import, select the file, and click Open. The Import Options dialog box appears. However, if you have not disabled the New Form Assistant by deselecting the Show When Importing Documents option in the Options dialog box (Wizards and Tips panel), the New Form Assistant appears. If necessary, click Do Not Use Assistant to open the Import Options dialog box.

  3. In the Import Options dialog box, select the option that best suits how you want to work with the imported PDF content:

    • To preserve the layout and appearance of the PDF content, select Create an Interactive Form with Fixed Pages.

    • To edit the content of the PDF document in Designer, select Create an Interactive Form with a Flowable Layout, and then select custom options for importing the PDF, as required.

  4. Click OK. If you selected the Display A Summary Report option, a dialog box lists any conversion issues, such as unavailable fonts and unsupported objects, before the form opens.

    Note: The Temporary folder is your temporary directory that is configured by Windows (which is typically \Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Temp). The log file is named the same as the PDF file with a .log file name extension. If a file with that name already exists in the Temporary Folder, it is overwritten.

To use File > New to import a PDF file with Designer and Workbench

When you use File > New to import a PDF file, you can specify a name for the form. The form will be saved in the Applications view in Workbench.

  1. Select File > New. The New Form dialog box opens in Workbench.

  2. Follow the onscreen instructions until the New Form Assistant > Getting Started panel opens in Designer.

  3. Select the Import A PDF Document option, and then click Next.

  4. In the Document Setup: Import a PDF panel, browse to and select the PDF file you want to import, click Open, and then click Next.

  5. In the Document Setup: Import Options panel, select the import option you want to use:

    • To import the PDF file as background artwork, select Create an Interactive Form with Fixed Pages. When you import a PDF file as background artwork, Designer preserves the appearance of the original document and retains existing interactive fields.

    • To import the PDF file so that you can edit it in Designer, select Create an Interactive Form With a Flowable Layout.

      Note: By default, images are embedded in medium quality JPEG format. If an image extraction problem occurs, a message appears in the Conversion Summary and the image is embed in BMP format.

  6. Click Next.

  7. Click Finish.

To use File > Open to import a PDF file with Designer and Workbench

When you use File > Open to import a PDF file, you specify the LiveCycle application where you want to save the form.

  1. Select File > Open.

  2. Navigate to the PDF file to import, select the file, and click Open.

  3. In the Document Setup: Import Options panel, select the import option you want to use:

    • To import the PDF file as background artwork, select Create an Interactive Form with Fixed Pages. When you import a PDF file as background artwork, Designer preserves the appearance of the original document and retains existing interactive fields.

    • To import the PDF file so that you can edit it in Designer, select Create an Interactive Form With a Flowable Layout.

      Note: By default, images are embedded in medium quality JPEG format. If an image extraction problem occurs, a message appears in the Conversion Summary and the image is embed in BMP format.

  4. Click Finish.

  5. Select File > Save As.

  6. Navigate to the Workbench folder on your local system:

    • If you are using Windows XP, the Workbench folder is located in \Documents and Settings\<user name>.

    • If you are using Windows Vista, the Workbench folder is located in \Desktop\<user name>.

  7. Select the application folder where you want to save the form.

  8. Type a name for the form, and then click Save.

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